The Washington times., 1904-09-03
BELGIAN
AFRICAN POLICY
Subject Of King Leopold
Denies Stories.
CONCERNING CONGO STATE
Forty Million Negroes in the Territory
to Twelve Thousand
Whites.
CONCERNING CONGO STATE

NEW YORK, Sept. 3.-One OF the Bel
gian commissioners 10 the international
Peace Congress in St Louis is NJ. Car
ton de Wharf, who. with Nine. de Wharf.
arrived in New York this week and il
now at the HOtei NetherIand.
NJ. de Wharf is a member and the sec
rotary Of the Belgian park rnent. and
one Of the leaders Of the Conservative
party. which supports King Leopold's
policy in the Congo.
His brother, who is secretary TO Leo
pold, has been repeatedly in the Congo
Free State. and NJ de Wharf himself
has much intimate knowledge Of condl-
tons in that interesting corner OF the
world
With reference to a cable dispatch
from Cape Town, which was printed in
this city this week. and which contained
rather alarmist statements with refer
ence to Belgian Notifications on the
western shore Of Lake Tanganyika,
and within two hours march Of the
German frontier, NJ. de Wharf spoke
quite freely.
The Fortifcations
1.-THE Congo Free State is an immense
country. as large as half of Europe. It
has a population of something like 40
900. COO negroes. OF the Europeans in the
country there are about 1900. Many OF
these are Norwegians and Swedes hold
ing important offices.
There are also a good many Swiss,
who likewise take prominent part IN
the administration Of affairs. Oh lale
rather heavy contingent or Itallans mas
f~. 4 n
oVerW helming population of blacks ali
about il has been necessary In pCshlis
into the interior to take certain precau-
tons in the way OF Intervening adNaht-
ed Centers. That Is the beginning anu
the end of the fortifcauons-
Rumors False.
'sThe statement in the Cape Town dis
patch that negotiations are now in prog
ress between Berlin and Brussels with
reference to these Lake Tanganyik-t
outposts is hardly worth discussion
The idea that the Congo Free State IS
terrifying with hostile intent as TO her
neighbors is absurd
You will observe that the telegram
in question is Of English origin There
has been a systematic EFFORT BY part
OF the English press TO create pubic
sentiment in England and throughout
the world hostile TO the administration
OF AFFAIRS in the Congo. Very grave ms
Representations have been made IN oruef
to attain that end.
..-The motive back of it all is sufficient
" obvious Liverpool was long the
great market for West Coast OF AFRICA
IVORY and india rubber Since the de-
veIopment of the Congo Free state,
Antwerp has enCrOached upon LIVER
pools field. This naturally has resulted
in not a little Irritation and commercial
jealousy in England.
"a s. there
idea of the Cape TO Cairo Railway
Lake Tangany1ka is right IN the me
Of this roads route The railroad must
pass along the east or the west shore
of this great inland sea
Around the Lake.
zone side of the lake is in German
territory the other side is in the terri
tory OF the Congo Free State This
fact. again, IS a course Of irritation IN
Great Britain. and is another reason
for the English newspaper propaganda
Mind you, do not accuse the English
government Of participation in this
spreading Of false reports The attitude
Of the English government SO far as
l am informed. is beyond reproach in the
matter The malicious statements have
mad their origin in commercial Jealousy
1T viii be well in considering ali these
damaging statements TO bear IN MIND
the facts that / have mentioned Among
other things IL has been charged against
the admins tratiOn of the Congo Free
State that there have been gross cruel
ties in the treatment OF the natives
ITO make this charge is great
wrong. for ii IS wholly untrue. There
has been COnspiCuOusly less harshness
in dealing with the natives in the Congo
Free State than in almost any other
colony that might be mentioned through
out the world. Individual instances Of
cruelty on the part o. minor officials
there undoubtedly have been and in all
cases where such conduct has been made
known il has been severely punished.
Civilization Growing.
THE progress of the Congo Free
state in the twenty years since IL was
opened up 10 civilization has been very
great Interior peace has succeeded al
most incessant interior warfare The
raids Of the Arabian slave dealers have
been suppressed. Slavery has disap-
peared. Railroads have been built.
Steamboat lines have been put in
operation. Commercial and industrial
enterprises have been established. and
are highly prosperous. Schools have
been opened, ana are being opened, more
and more OF them an the time. Mis-
SIOns OF all religious denominations have
been established. and are al Lnpdrtlally
protected.
Surely all this is of advantage to the
whole civilized world. There is here no
legitimate field for international sUs-
picion or jealousy. What has been done.
is being done, and will be done. is for
the benefit of the civilized world in its
entirety. / am sure that America is the
last country on the globe 10 SympathiZe
with attempts, born OF petty CONNER
cial rivalry and jealousy. 60 put impede
mentS I'm the way of such progress
Naturally, the Congo Free State is
valuable to Belgium A colony was es-
scnJiul TO our country II IS absolutely
necessary that our people swarm from
time to time from the home hive Bel
gium has an area OF only $3.50 square
miles Territuriaily, you could make
nearly four Belgiums of your single
State of New York. Yet in Belgium we
have more than I.0e0, 600 inhabitants
$50 you see we had 20 get out some
where or b. suffOCated -ng Leopold IT.
with his facSighted wisdom and practical
mind. saw this plainly enough at the
time of his coronation. now nearly forty
years ago. So he created this Congo
Free State. which is under his individual
authority now. but on his death as he
has already made known. will revert 10
Belgium
STORAGE DEPOT BURNED.
WATERFOWL. " Y, Sept. 3-Ths