Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-09
LEWISTOWN. MONT, March 9. 1906
THE CONGO FREE STATE.

The Congo Reform association of
Boston. is making determined effort
to awaken sentiment in this country
with regard to the alleged barbarities
practiced in the Congo Free State by
those in authority. The association
has recently published a number of
pamphlets setting out the grievances
OF the unfortunate natives. While, as
stated, the aim of the organization is |
TO awaken sentiment. its specific pur
pose is to secure favorable action by
congress upon a memorial asking that
the United States government join
with the powers of Europe in securing
an international inquiry into present
conditions in the Congo. Secretary of
State Root, to whom the matter was
referred, recently stated that owing
TO the fact that this country has no
trade or territorial interests of any
kind in the Congo Free State the Unit
ed States was in no position to insist
upon an investigation. 1t is not unlik-
ly that congress will take the same
view of the matter, but the evidence
submitted by the Reform association
can leave no doubt whatever as TO the
need for a change from the system thai
has prevailed in King Leopold's rub
beI colony. Upon this subject Joseph
Conrad. who was formerly in the ser
vice of the Upper Congo says:
1T is an extraordinary thing that
the conscience of Europe. which sew
enty years ago put down the slave
trade on humanitarian grounds toler
ates the Congo State today It is as
if the moral clock had been put back
many hours. And yet nowadays. if
were to overwork my horse so as to
destroy its happiness or physical well,
being, | should be hauled before a
magistrate. 1t seems to me that the
black man-say of Uptoto-is deserv-
ing of as much humanitarian regard
as any animal, since he has nerves
feel plain, can be made physically mis-
cradle. But, as matter of fact. his
happiness and misery are much more
complex than the misery or happiness
OF animals. and deserving of greater
regard. He shares with us the con-
sclousness OF the universe in which we
llve-nO small burden Barbarism per
Sc IS no crime deserving of a heavy
visitation, and the Belgians are wor-
Sc than the seven plaques of Egypt.
insomuch that in that case it was a
punishment sent for a definite trans
erosion; but in this the Upoto man
Is not aware of any sgression and
therefore can see no end to the in
hlctlon. 1t must appear TO him very
awful and mysterious and | confess
1t appers so to me, too. The slave
trade has been abolished and the Con
go state exists today. This is very re-
markable. What makes it more re-
markable is this: the slave trade was
an oki-established form of commercial |
activity; it was not the monopoly OF
one small country, established to the
disadvantage of the rest of the civil
he world in defiance of International
treaties and in braZen disregard OF
humanitarian declarations. But he con
90 state created yesterday, is all
that. and yet it exists II is very mys
FERROUS. One is tempted TO eXclaim tas
poor Theirs did in 1870, II ny pas
dEurope And the fact remains that
in 1903, seventy years or so after the
abolition of the slave trade tbecause
il was crueD, there exists in Africa
d Congo State, created by the act of
European Powers, where ruthless, sys-
tematic cruelty towards the blacks is
the basis of administration, and bad
faith towards all the other states the
basis Of commercial policy"