Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-25
FOR AFRICANS.

The secretary Of the Aboriglnes Pro-
lection Society, with headquarters In
London, is endeavorlng TO bring to the
notice OF the people OF this country, the
deplorable condition OF the people OF
that portion of Africa, which Is known
as the Congo Free state, 1t seems that
the European powers, interested In The
dark continent" In a solemn congress
at Berlin pledged themselves to watch
over the preservation OF the native pop
ula,ons and the Improvement Of their
moral and material conditions Of ex-
istence, and to work together for the
suppression OF slavery, and especially
OF the slave trade A few years later
the same powers solemnly declared
themselves TO be equally animated by
the firm intention Of putting an end to
the crimes and devastations engender-
ed by the traffic in African slaves. Of
protecting effectually the aboriginal
population OF Africa, and OF ensurlng
for that vast continent the benefits Of
peace and civilization"
The Berlin Conference entrusted to
King Leopold. as head of the Congo
International association, the custody OF
about two.thirds of the Conventional
basin Of the Congo and the general care
Of its inhabitants, as well as promotion
of civilization and clvilizlng trade with
them. BY the Brussels Conference
the same sovereign was entrusted with
the principal part Of the work TO be
done In putting an end to the Central
Africa slave-trade. But, II Is now
charged that the work Of civilization
has proved farce, The guarantees are
Of as little value TO the Africans as
similar guarantees have proved to be
to the Armenians and Macedonians.
From official reports It Is made clear
that the Congo government has so mon.
opolzed nearly all the soil OF the coun-
try and imposed such heavy labor
taxes on the inhabitants that they have
been in large measure deprived OF the
necessary means Of subsistence and are
reduced to n state OF miserable bond
age, and that the grinding tyranny thus
set up, when not enforced by the direct
action OF the government Is enforced
as ruthessly by the several concessions
nairo companies to which generally
holding half the shares in them--lt has
assigned its territorial rights So
called, and In whose interests are large.
ly employed the armed savages, mostly
cannlbals, composing the army, or force
publlque, of nearly 10000 regulars"
augmented by 10000 or more "auxili-
aries" Consul Easements report is
q narrowing account OF the sufferings
OF which he was an eyewitness In the
part OF the Congo interior visited by
him, including regions administered as
Grown domain" and other regions I'M
der concesslonnalre company rule In
both he saw the unhappy population
men, women and children alike-in a
condition worse than that OF ordinary
slavery In Congoand. 1t Ia charged,
natives lives are of no account, and
they are mercllessly starved or worked
or logged 10 death. In addition to the
minor prosecutions and lndignitles that
were constant and invarlabe, Mr.. Case
ment tells OF the mutations and cold.
bloOded murders, the raplng Of women
and the torturng Of men, Of which he
had evidence as almost daily occur.
rences, as we'll as of more refined cru
elites and more loathsome outrages
freely INDUCED In by many Of the Con-
20 governments agents, both white and
black.
II is not claimed that the United
States Is directly interested In the af-
fairs Of the Congo state, but II is hoped
that the American people will feel It's
moral responsibility TO aid In the work
Of mercy in behalf Of the oppressed ma
lives And this Is no vain hope, For
We are great ON moral responsibilities
in others, We would, no doubt, loud
ly protest against the outrages COM
mltted against the negroes In Africa, II
only for the sake Of drowning, in the
Noise the groans Of black victims OF
mob violence on American soil. Ger
talnly, our moral responsibility Is great,
as the secretary Of the AbOrigines Pro-
lection society assumes.
II Is singular though, that wherever
the white race goes, 1t brings with II
vice, oppression diseases, tears and
blood, Is It not time to consider wheth.
or the special civilization that is Of.
fcred benighted races. Is what 1t ought