The St. Louis Republic., 1903-11-08

Ep>cisl Correspondence OF The Sunday Republie
Brussels. Belgium. Oct. Hs-What Is Bel
GUM doing on the Congo?
! asked this question of the Secretary
of the Independent, Congo State. as We
sat together and chatted CT. Africa in the
big Government building back Of The
Kings palace in Brussels.
In reply the Secretary touched hutton
and sent a messenger for about Il husilei
OF documents. which he ordered 10 be
carried TO my hotel
He then pulled down 4 half dozen wall
maps and went over the ground with me,
LAYING down the projected railroads. point
ing out the sites of new factories and
plantations, and giving statistics Of the
millions being spent in river and harbor
improvements
He seemed 10 know Africa as well as
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 sixtecn
mullion natives who now form Belgium's
share of the white mans burden. telling
me what the Government was, doing TO
keep them from ensiaving and eating one
another. and in advancing them on the
road to civilization
In this connection he spoke of our mis-
sionaries. who have many stations along
the Congo. and said they were dong great
good in teaching the natives traces. is
well as the scriptures.
The Secretary spoke very kindly If The
United States, saying that ii was the first
TO recognize the Congo State and the Iirst
of the great nations to make treaties
with it
Of introduction 10 the curator OF the great
Congo Museum at Trevurn, near Brussels.
and advised me to visit for an object les
son of what the Congo is in the year iS1S.
GREAT COLLECTION IN
THE MUSEUM DE CONGO.
Since then ! spent a day in the
Museum de Congo. talking with its cura-
tor and looking over the great collections
which Belgian explorers from every part
of the Congo Basin have here brought to-
gether.
The museum is divided ineo three sec
tions-artistic. scientific and economic.
The artistic section has beautiful woven
stuffs and carvings made by the African
tribes.
II mas many remarkable creations IN
ivory, as well as paintings of the coun-
try and home life by Belgian artists.
In the scientific department ene gees
Africa in miniature. The huts of the peo-
pie and their villages are shown.
The money OF copper and iron II dis
played, and all sorts ot woven stuns,
dresses, tools and musical instruments s..e
TO be seen.
In another section are the animals of the
Congo. from the giraffe TO the monkey,
and In the industrial section are the vari-
Gus products. such as cotton. rariiie and to-
bacco.
The Secretary tells me that cotton plant
sfions are being set out, and that negroes
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 q to foreign countries.
Eas 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 s. 10000 worth OF rub
Der Is exported. and almost million dol
: lars worth OF ivory. The rubber comes
from Hanas, or climbing plants, and not
from trees. as on the Amazan. The plants
, are now carefully cared for. and am told
of them that the rubber exports will stead
that in the Upper Congo there are SO many
uf them that the rubber exports will stead
lily increase. In the lower part many
plants have been 6extrcyed by the igno-
rance Of the natives in gathering the prod
uct.
In this museum ] saw ivory tusks at
least ten feet In height. some Of which
weighed almost - pounds. Think of an
animal which carries two tustZs weighing
twice a. much ~ ! a 7good-sixed man. and
YOU have m idea Of the big elephants of
the congo aood beEide one of the tusks
and had the curator take my photograph
could not reach TO the top of the tusk.
As looked at the ivory the curator told
me that Che tafsks RANCE In size from !
Few pounds up to 40 pounds In bringing
the stu6 fruin the interior much OF II Is
ss<rssd % the saea'ders ef men. 4 tusk