The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-09
Booker T. Washington
Beside Miss Lund.
THE LION OF THE HOUR
Exalted by the HystericaI Fanatics oil
the Peace Congress Who Bow
Down Before Him Almost as
to a Second
Baal.
(By the Associated Press.)

pold of Belgium, was assailed for his
policy as sovereign of the Congo Free
State, at a public meeting held this
afternoon in connection with the In
ternational Peace Congress.
The attack upon King Leopold was
made by E. T. Mornl. of England, who
represented the Congo Reform Asso-
citation. Mr.. Morel charged that the
King was personally responsible in a
large measure for cruelties practiced
on the natives of the Congo Free
State in the terrific endeavors of mo-
ncpolieS commercial organizations to
obtain from the country all the ivory
and rubber possible.
The King was defended by George
Herbert Head of Cambridge. England,
who submitted that King Leopold had
done all possible to stop the cruelties
practiced.
The government policy in the CorSO
also was bitterly denounced by Rev.
w. M. Morrison, for seven years Il mis-
sionary IN the Congo land.
The congress today accepted report
| port from the committee on proDagan-
da recommending that the congress in
1905 be held in Lucerne, Switzerland.
One of the first things which the
congress today was to adopt resou-
tons recommending to all nations to
enter into u treaty inSuring in case of
dispute between countries that The
difference would be submitted for set
Element to 4 union of all the powers
A second public meeting this after
noon was held in the old South Meet
ing House, to consider the progress of
| the peace movement in Europe with
addresses by prominent foreign dele
gates.
A dinner was given tonight, at
| which the foreign delegates were the
guests. Speeches were made by Bah-
op Percival of England, the Baron
ess Ven Suttner, Booker T. Washing
ton, and others
Washington Makes an Address.
| In brief after dinner speech deliv-
| cred before the International Peace
Congress tonight Booker T. Washing
ton arraigned the Belgian government
for the alleged outrages in the Congo
| Free State, declared that he had evil
| dence of abuse and cruelty and said
| that a state Of affairs existed that was
q blot on modern civilization.
Introducing Mr.. Washington. Rob-
| ert Treat Paine, president of the con-
gross and POSTMASTER of the evening.
referred to him as ''nonOred almost
| universally throughout this country.
but especially in Boston,
At this the distinguished company
arose and greeted Mr.. Washington Il,
it did no other guest of the evening.
Mr.. Washington was seated at the
head Of the table. beside Miss Lund.
daughter of Herr John L,md. of Nor
way.
After acknowledging the unusual
and spontaneous reception, Mr.. Wash
i1eton at once nlunged into an earnest
denunciaton of the wrongs which he
claimed were being perpetrated upon
the blacks Of the Congo Free State.
II nave testimony direct he said
from DR.. Shepard. and from the lips
of DR.. Morrison. two men who have
gone into the Congo Free State to
work among their own people. and
whose story of sacrifice is one of the
dramatic incidents of history. The
| influence of the civilized world should
| be felt and should free these people
from the barbarities they are now
suffering. Their villages have been
burned. their people murdered and
| manned. DR.. Sheppard tells me that
! he has seen with his own eyes in one
village 81 human hands hung up to
dry to be presented to the Belgian au
| thorities to show that the soldiers did
their duty
"And these atrocities are committed
for the sake of wealth and self-ag-
grandizement. Europe should set
better example to my people in Africa
/ speak for them; yes. as | speak for
| the black of Africa so do / speak for
| the white of Europe. for no man can
abuse the one without thereby lower
| ing all humanity.
There is another condition con-
corning which my race should have
the sympathy and help of such an or
ganization as this. There exist in our
own country mobs of men who are
given to lynching and burning men
for supposed or real crimes without
due process of law. Nothing in the
last ten years has SO rejoiced me as
the voiced sentiment of certain parts
of the South within the past few
weeks against this form of outrage.
Grace hatred never settled any
problem upon this earth. The way for
one race to show q greater degree or
superiority over another is by a great
err degree of kindness of thoughtful
ness and of brotherly love. No race
is free indeed so long as it is ruled
by passion and brute force
Mr. Washington closed by pledging
to the cause of peace the efforts OF
his people He was loudly cheered
and many of the delegates crowded
about him to shake his hand.
f. GUY HALLS CASE.