Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-09
Subject Of a Big Mass
Meeting at Boston.
Resolutions Calling on Presi.
dent and Congress to Act
In AmeIiqrating Condition, Having First Re.
cogRized The Free State.

Boston. March S.-With view to
stirring up American sentiment against
the conditions obtaining in Congo Free
State, Africa, a public meeting was
held in fremont Temple tonight, under
the auspices of the Congo Reform As
ISOLATION. The meeting was largely at
tended and was presided over by Presi-
dent q. Stanley Hail. LII. d., of Clark
University. The speakers included
Rev. John II. Harris. for many years a
missionary in the Congo state, Rev.
Herbert >. johnson and Rev. Everett
d. Burr, ID. D.. pastors of Boston
churches, VINO foi, six weeks have been
speaking on the subject of Congo re-
form in the leading cities of the coun-
try.
The speakers outlined deplorablc con-
ditionS said to exist in the African
state and appealed to the meeting for
support of whatever action might be
found possible for our government to
take to relieve the situation.
In connection with q discussion on the
powers of our government in the mat
ter. the following Geographic cores
pondencc was read:
Boston. March s. 1906.
"Hon Eihu Root. State Department,
Washington, d. c.
Am / right in saying, regarding Congo.
that your position is that our Sovernmo mt
does not share supervisory powers of Bcr-
lin Sgnatories and is not competent to
make investigation, but that you do not
wish to be understood as holding that the
case is closed or rs declining to con-
slider further information as to facts, or
suggestions of action along other lines?
Meeting tonight. Wish to be strictly ac-
curate. Will use above unless corrected
by you
(Sisned by a representative of the Con-
go Reform Association.)
The following reply of Sec Root was
read:
washington, d. c.. March 8, 1906
Your understanding, stated in your tel
egram of today. is quite correct. 1 am
much obliged to you
(Signed "ELIHU ROOT
At the conclusion of the addresses
the meeting voted to adopt declarations
to the effect that there exists in the
Congo Compulsory labor under the
whip of the slave driver and SYSTEM
attic oppression and cruelty which are
depOpulating the country and rival any
of the atrocities which in recent years
in Europe and Asia have stirred to
deenest Indignation this community
and it would seem to be undenia bic
that provisions of the treaty of 1891,
notably the provision guaranteeing
freedom of trade to the United States
have been and continue to be violated
by the government of the Congo state"
TO these and other declarations were
appended the following resolutions
which were adopted:
"EcSolved. That as the United States
was the first power to recognize the
flag of the Independent Congo Free
States, il is fitting that it should be
foremost in efforts to ameliorate the
terrible lot OF its helpless native inhab-
itant2.
"RCsolvcd. That we respectfully urge
upon the President and upon Congress
TO take all possible STEPS. either by re-
nonStranccS, by diplomatic cores
tionS which arc n rCJIroach to The civil
iZation Of the 10Th century ana repuC-
nant alike to religion. justice AMI hui
manity.'