Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-07
THE CONGO IN 1903
Carrying the White Mans
Burden in Africa.
Der AN IVORY
THEY ARE THE TWO LEADING
PRODUCTS OF THE COUNTRY.
Belgium's Colony That is Seventy
Times as Big as Herself-Facts
and Figures.
RUBBER AND IVORY
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
Copyright, 1903. by Frank G. Carpenter)
BRUSSELS.
What is Belgium doing on the Congo!
l asked this question of the secretary OF
the Independent Congo State, as we sat to-
gether and chatted Of Africa in the big gov
eminent building back of the kings palace
in Brussels. In reply the secretary touched
q button and sent a messenger for about
bushel of documents, which he ordered to
be carried to my hotel. He then pulled
down half dozen wall maps and went over
them with me, laying down the pro-
jected railroads, pointing out the sites OF
new factories and plantations, and giving
statistics of the millions being spent in river
and harbor improvements. He seemed to
know Africa well as l know my own
back yard and he made my head buzz
with the names of peoples towns, rivers
and geographical localities. He described
the condition of the sixteen million natives
who now form Belgiums share of the white
mans burden. telling me what the govern
ment was doing to keep them from en-
Shaving and eating one another, and in ad-
vancing them on the road of civilization.
In this connection he spoke of our mis-
sionaries. who have many stations along
the Congo and said they were doing great
good in teaching the natives trades, as
well as the Scriptures.
The secretary spoke very kindly of the
United States, saying that it was the first
to recognize the Congo State and the first
Of the great nations to make treaties with
it. AS I started to leave he gave a
note of Introduction to the curator of the
great Congo Museum at Trevuren. near
Brussels, and advised me to visit it for an
object lesson Of what the Congo is in this
year 1903.
The Museum De Congo.
Since then I hav i, the
Museum de Congo talking with its
curator and looking over the great collec-
tons which Belgian explorers from every
part of the Congo basin have here brought
together. The museum IS divided into
three sections-artistic. scientific and eco
nomic. The artistic section has beautiful
woven stuffs and carvings made by the
African tribes. 1t has many remarkable
creations in ivory as well as paintings of
the country and home life by Belgian
artists.
In the scientific department one sees
Africa in miniature. The huts of the peo-
pie and their villages are shown. The
money of copper and iron is displayed, and
all sorts of woven stuffs, dresses, tools
and musical instruments are to be seen.
In another section the animals of the
Congo. from the giraffe to the monkey,
and in the industrial section are the vari-
Gus products, such as cotton ranie and to-
bacco: The secretary tells me that cotton
plantations are being set out, and that
ne groes may be brought from our southern
states to teach the people how to cultivate
them. Tobacco is already raised in many
regions. and there is now something of an
export of it to foreign countries.
Ivory and Rubber.
I was much interested In the exhibits of
ivory and rubber. These form the two
great exports of the Congo. bringing in
millions of dollars to Belgium every year.
At present about 100000 worth of rub
Der is exported and almost a million
dollars worth Of ivory. The rubber comes