Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-01-04

'uoh llmeS.-The long-awaited report
of the commission of inquiry into the
administration of the Congo state has
been published. 1t covers nearly $50
pages and deals seriatim with charges
brought against King Leopold's admin
lstratlon under the following head
ings: ~ Land legislation and the
freedom of trade; ca the system of
taxation by labor, and the evils result
ing from forced labor; (S) military ex-
petitions, the seizure of hostages, ill
treatment and mutilation of natives,
etc.; (4D the system of concessions;
(5) depopulation and it's causes; 90
the tutelage exercised by the Free
State or by Catholic missions over
destitute children; CD recruiting sol
diers and other classes of workers;
(S) the administration of justice.
l. In conceding the theory laid
down at the outset with respect to the
occupation of the land, that no one
had the right to take up vacant land
which must be considered as belong
ing to the state, or to disturb the ter
ritories occupied by tribes under a
duly-constituted chief, the comlN ission
remarks that the question turns large
" upon the sense in which the terms
vacant" and occupied are accepted.
In the absence of any definite inter-
-
is considered to be occupied" on
which the natives have built villages
or of which the natives have built vii
lagos or of which the soil is TILED AS
by far the greater proportion of the
land does not come under this 'Iefini-
DGon, the state would thus have an alb
Sgolute right to consider it as crown
property. While Withholding any
final opinion, the commission points
out the defect of a system which in
isolated villages places the population
at the mercy of local agents who for
bid tribes to change their residence
or travel over the state territory with
out special permit. 1t is recommend
ed that each village should be sur
roun led by a zone of sufficient size to
allow of agricultural pursuits, SO as
to make the population self-supporting.
With reference to the next point, the
freedom of commerce, the commission
declines to discuss the question in its
relation to the Berlin act, as outside
it's competence, and merely points out
L {r,fio of no
free state commercial activity among
the natives was limited to the sale Of
ivory and the slave trade. Today ma
tive industry, other than that which is
fostered by the state, is virtually non
existent. Artisans exist to certain
extent in the villages, but only work
to order, and not for the regular pur-
poses of rrale. Thus, though free
dom Of trade is formally recognized,
there is virtually no trade properly
socalled among the natives in the
greater portion of the free state. The
method of exchange in kind is one
which gives rise to great difficulties,
but the commission recommends the
government to introduce monetary
system by degrees.
9. The criticisms under this head
ing being chiefly in relation to forcei
labor. upon which hangs the machln-
cry of the government, the subject is
at once most important and most COM
plex. After a careful analysis OF the
question of forced labor from an
point, the commission is of opinion
that, in the case of inferior races, it is
the only possible means of turning to
account the natural riches OF the
country. ''In a word, it is on this
basis alone that the Congo can enter
into the pathway of modern civlliza-
ton. and that the population can be
reclaimed from its natural state OF
barbarism." All are compelled to
work for the common good, and, as
no other source of revenue is avail
able. the free state has the right to
demand from the native population It's
co-oueration in working out its own
development. Having admitted this
nrinciple. the commission insists on its
application in an equitable and pa
ternal manner; adding that it be-
hooves a wise legislation to limit its
endorsements to the strict necessities
Of the state. The various systems OF
exchange which have successively
come into force are reviewed, ana
their defects are pointed out. Space
forbids anything like an analysis OF
these systehls, but the chief cause Tor
complaint seems to lie in the absence
Of ,anv fixed scale for the regulation
of barter. whether in money or IN
Kind AS general rule 1T is laid
down that the remuneration given
INNS, not be inferior to the price OF
tabor necessary for gathering the pro
,Iuct in question. But in practice TINS
principle does not always appear 10
have been observed. The following
g~tract dealing with the vital point al
issue-the manner OF enforcing tne