The Jersey City news., 1906-12-10
KONGJ LOBBY HERE
King Leopold Accused of Plotting
to Avert Hostile Legislation
In Congress.
PETITIONS ARE OF NO AVAIL
Secretary Roots Declaration That In
terferense by America Would Be un-
warranted Blocks Protests Against
Alleged Wholesale Cruelty Many
Cases of Torture Cited.

warranted BLOCKS Protests Against
Alleged Wholesale Cruelty Many
Cases Of Torture Cited.
New York, Dec. 10.-Documentary
evidence is in the possession of the
American, says thRt newspaper. show
ing that for two years past King Leo
pold Of Belgium has maintained an ex-
pensive lobby in Washington for the
purpose of preventing action by the
United States relative to the atrocities
In the Kongo Free State.
These documents, betraying as they
do the sinister methods which have
been employed by the agents Of Leo
pold in Washington, will be startling
revelation to members of the clergy
and laymen who have labored with all
the influence they could command to
have this government take the initia-
tive In putting an end to the barbara
ties In the Kongo-b barbarities which
have included the most appalling tor
ture of innocent women and children,
which have literally cost hundreds of
thousands Of lives and the unpaYal-
leled horror of which inspired Amert-
cas- 'most famous living writer, Marx
Twain, to characterize Leopold IS "the
leading murderer Of the world" de-
clares the American.
The chief Of Leopold's lobbyists is
said to be Colonel Henry L Kowalsky
Of New York and San Francisco.
Paid to Prevent Protest.
Kowalsky, according to the agree
nent with Leopold, was to receive
$4,000 in per cent state bonds of
the Belgium government If no action
was taken by the United States reIa-
tive to the Kongo situation during the
first session of the Fifty-ninth con-
gress.
Associated with Kowalsky and men
toned in the agreement drawn up by
the Belgian state department, were
Alfred NerincX and Henry Wellington
Wack.
James Whitley, who signed himself
consul general of the Kongo, but whose
credentials authorizing him to act in
that capacity were never presented to
the state department, was also per-
niciously active against the Kongo
memorial all through the first session
of the Fifty-ninth congress.
The American reprints testimony
showing many instances of revolving
cruelty practiced on men, women and
children in the Kongo and says that
Intervention by the United States gov
ernment was asked by missionaries
cognizant of the facts and by the re-
ligious organizations which they rep
resented.
Cannot Interfere, Says Root.
1t was on April 49, 1904. that Sena-
tor Morgan introduced in the senate
the memorial of the missionaries. The
memorial also was introduced in the
house. Hearings were held. but no RS
port was ever made. In the early part
OF 1900 many members of the clergy
and large nur er OF laymen Of Mich
igan requested Representative DENLY
to urge action by congress upon the
Kongo memorial. In response TO their
appeal Mr.. Denby wrote letter to
Secretary Root informing the secretary
Of the sentiment in his constituency on
the Kongo atrocities and asking what
the United States could do to amelio-
rate the complained of conditions.
In bis reply Secretary Root took the
position that interference by this gov
ernment in the Kongo would be I'm
warranted The ground upOn which
Mr.. Root based his contention that the
United States ought to take NO steps to
bring about an international inquiry,
with view to authoritative adjudica-
ton Of the issues to which the conii-
tions supposed to exist in the Kongo
Free State are related" was that the
United States was not a signatory to
the general act of the Kongo signed
at Berlin on Feb. %, 1888, by virtue
Of which King Leopold gained sover-
eighty over the Kongo.