The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-13
SLAVERY EXISTS
IN N FREE | L. State II {
King Leopold Of Belgium Ops
prcssor Of Natives Of the
Congo Country.
MANY CRIMES FOR GREED Rec
Africans Subjected to AFFECT
servitudc and Treated
With Cruelty.
MANY CRIMES FOR GREED

Rev H. c, Hvnss, missionary OF the
Southern Presbyterian Church, nm an
address madeito the Presbyteran SUM
day School Union Mt the Third Churoh..
Of the tyranny which he alleges is prac-
tlced In tho so-caled Congo Free State by
tho Belgian King who governs that ter
1itory. He charges that the worst form
OF slavery and oppression exist there 70
n shocking extent.
In the course Of his nddrcss, Rev. MI.
Enss said
,s.,1t Is hard for. Ms living in ease under
tho civilized influence OF Christianity, with
government whose existence Is for tho
people, TO realize that there exists to-day
q IN Central Africa a ptofessedly clvillzed
government by enlightened Europeans.
which, in spite OF It's wonderful profess
eions, has proved TO DO the most glgantic
slave organization of modern history.
.Thc Congo Free state came into ofl-2
cial existence In 1881, when the United
States a acknowledged It's flag as a friendly
power and a few months later, Mt the
Information Conference. held IN Berlin.
OF tho nations of Europe. the United
States also being a party Free s.ate
was Officially set IN operation. w,.n aao-
pold IL. Of Belgium, as the sovereign.
lie accepted the position agreeing to
Z carry out the constitution adopted which
granted freedom or trade and an open
door for all evangelistic and philanthropic3
work Leopold ayowcd his only pro-
gran,nle to DO the moral and material
welfare OF the natives %
papers are constantly recording the abuses
OF treaty-riyhts by Leopold while We
read OF terrible atrocities perpetratcd
upon the people whom Leopold took
pleasure IN saying to the world he had
come to elevate and enllghten al
" Greed" Is the Answer.
How has all this come about? Greed
answers the question In word. The
Congo forests were rich in rubber vines.
willis the natives held great quantities Of
s ivory; inheritance OF many generations.
q Companies We're soon organized to trade
with the natives, giving them cloth. salt,
knives. beads, etc, In exchange Thus
A leopold saw much that he considered his
legitimate spoils going to, others.
IIcsthsn. by royal decree. from which
L Is no appeal. appropriated all lands. with
the produce thcrcfrom. to the govern
ment. These lands were successfully ape 4
portioned from time TO time with exclu-&
9s.ve rights to all the products OF the soil.
! Tho government owns Mt least fifty per
cent. OF the stock OF these companies in
return for this exclusive privilege OF
trade. Thus competitive trade has been
excluded from all Of this region. The ma
tives being tlcsony ones who can work
the forests successfully, arc now forced
TO bring in the rubber AS tribute. receiy-5
Ing nothing In return. or small amount.
according to the whm of the official In z
charge OF the post. The ma turally indo-
lent native. OF course rcbcls. and to Keep
them up to work there Is an organized Y
force Of over 10000 men with modern
+ rifles who compel the bringing In OF the
4 full amount demanded,
with one of these chartered compa-
MES having full police power in their
hands and armed tcannibal soldlcry at
their back, with agents whose salary Is
controlled by the amount Of rubber they
Il ship, and often no one near to tell tales.
you can Imagine the fearful crimes that
will be COMPUTED by these agents to-
quickly gain wealth.
An Eye Witness.
81 have myself witnessed dozen OF
burned and plundered villages and scores
Z or murdered and half ca ten natives whose
only crime was that they were unable
to meet the excessive demands Of tri-
& butte by the government official ! have
seen natives driven from their, homes,
but finally caught in, the forests, carried
away from their homes. with ropes
around their necks to serve the govern
ment ns forced laborers. AT I.copoldville
there arc 3 900 laborers In the government
f works, about 1000 of whom are slaves.
caught in various raids by government
officials. There arcSmilions OF natives
who are to-day working on the planta-
tions OF the State and In their rubber
producing districts whose only reward
for their LABOR Is the privilege Of enrich
Ing the already overlooking coffIs Of
tho great philanthropic sovereign OF the
Congo Free State.
+ mission work Is equally hampered with
the closing OF the doors to free trade.
4 The American Presbyterian Congo Mission