The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-08
BOOKER WAS
THE STAR GUEST
AT A BANQUET IN BOSTON
THE ALABAMA NEGRO SAT AT THE
HEAD TABLE.

Besides the Daughter of Herr John
Lund of Norway Washington Sat.
When He Was FuIsOmeIy Intro
duced, the Company Arose, Greet
ing Him as 1t Did No Other Guest
of the OccasiOn-Made a Talk
Against Congo Wrongs.
Boston, Oct. liking Leopold of Bel
GUM was assailed for his policy as
sovereign of the Congo Free State at
public meeting held this afternoon
in connection with the sessions of the
International Peace Congress.
The attack upon King Leopold was
made by E. T. Morel of England, who
represented the Congo Reform Asso-
citation. Mr.. Morel charged that the
King was personally responsible in
large measure for cruelties practiced
on the natives of the Congo Free State
in the terrific endeavors of monopo-
listic commercial organizations to OBJ
tain 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
practiced.
The government policy in the Congo
also was bitterly denounced by Rev.
W. M. Morrison, for seven years a
missionary in the Congo land.
The congress to-day accepted re-
port from the Committee on Propagan-
da, recommending that the congress
in 1905 be held at Lucerne, Switzer-
land.
One of the first things which the
congress did to-day was to adopt reso-
lutions recommending to all nations to
enter into treaty ensuring in case of
dispute between countries that the diff
ference would be submitted for settle
ment to a union of all the Powers.
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.
dinner was given tonight at
which foreign delegates were the
guests. Speeches were made by Bishop
Percival of England, the Baroness Won
suttner, Booker T. Washington and
others.
Honor Paid Washington.
washington arraigned the Belgian
government for the alleged outrages
in the Congo Free State, declared that
he had evidence Of abuse and cruelty
and said that a state of affairs exist
ed that was a blot on modern civilizd-
tion.
Introducing Washington, Robert
Treat Paine, president of the congress
and POSTMASTER. of the evening, refer
red to him as, 'Honored almost uni
versally throughout this country, but
especially in Boston," At this the dis
tinguished company arose and greeted
Washington as ii did no other guest
of the evening. Washington was seat
ed at the head table, beside Miss Lund,
daughter of Herr John Lund of Nor
way.
After acknowledging the unusual and
spontaneous reception Washington at
once plunged into an earnest denun-
c'ation of the wrongs which he claim
ed were being perpetrated upon the
blacks of the Congo Free State.
Il have testimony direct" he said,
from Dr. Sheppard, and from the lips
of DIR. 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 in
fiuence of the civilized world should
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 eighty-one human hands hung
up to dry to be presented to the Bel
gian authorities to show that the SOL
diers 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 l speak for
the black of Africa, so do l speak for
the white of Europe, for no man can
abuse the one without thereby lowering
all humanity.
The LynchinE Evil.
There is another condition concern
ing which my race should have the
sympathy and help of such an organ
ization as this There exist i'm 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.
Race hatred never settled any prob
lem upon this earth. The way for one
race to show a greater degree OF su-
periority over another is by a greater
degree Of kindness. of thoughtfulness
and of btotherly love. No race Is free.
indeed, 80 long as IL is ruled by pas
Sion and brute force
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
n o1aa !, ,fo