The National tribune., 1906-03-08
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Representative DENLY, of Michigan,
is desirous that the United States Gov
eminent should investigate conditions
in the Congo Free State, and do some
thing to ameliorate conditions there.
He addressed an inquiry to Secretary
turn got the information that the Unit
ed States is powerless. Mr.. Root says.
in part:
Your inquiry expresses the difficulty
in the way. 1t is not clear that the
United States is in a position to bring
about such an International inquiry and
adjudication. We are parties in q gen.
eral act for the suppression Of the slave
trade. and the regulation of the fire.
arms and liquor traffic in Central Afri-
ca, but that act relegates and confines
all power and functions to those ends
to the several powers having possess
sions or spheres of influence in Africa.
The United States has neither and it's
participation in the general act was on
the distinct understanding that We had
no territorial or administrative interest
in that quarter. Our only potential
function Is in relation to the search
and capture Of slave vessels within GER
tain waters OF the African coast, and
no occasion has arisen to exercise that
function. We are not parties to the
other more commonly cited general act
of the Congo (signed at Berlin on Feb.
rs, 1850.
tunity or power to investigate conditions
in the Congo. We have no diplomatic
or consular representatives in that
country. We could not send any one
there, except with the consent of the
Government of the Congo. To do 9TH
ereignty. Other powers, being parties
to the general act of Berlin, have made
investigations through their authorized
representatives, and the Congo Govern
ment also has sent an investigating
commission. The information We have
at second hand through opposed chan
nels.
81 most sincerely wish that some way
could be found by which the whole of
Central Africa could be rightly admin
istered by the several powers ruling or
exercising controlling influence there
IN, 50 as to realize the intention of those
powers when they framed the general
act of the Congo. Much may be and
doubtless is desirable in way of good
Government in that vast region, else
where than in the Congo. If the Unit
ed States had happened to possess in
darkest Africa a territory five times as
great and populous as the Philippines,
we, too, might find good Government
difficult, and come in for our share Of
Just or unjust criticism. No such re-
sponsibility falls upon us. That per-
tains to the powers which have as
tual agreement to regulate it's exer-
cise''
It now develops that Gen. Kuroki,
the great Japanese" military leader,
Is an American-at least. he was born
kr, thA M Of h tc ,trx,
known as South America. and, to par
ticularize, in Chile. He has acted all
along as though he might have been
born in the United States.
And this is the way Congressman joke
each other. Representative Sperry, Of
Connecticut, looks, as q spicy CORE
spondent has said. like keg of nails"
IN other words, as hard and uncompro-
missing as steel bolts, a Puritan in looks
and not far from 1t in habits. He is a
rank teetotaler, and is member OF the
Committee on Alcoholic Liquor Traffic
of the House.
The other day Mr. Sperry stood in
the depths Of woe by a House elevator.
Mark Smith, Delegate from Arizona.
who, 1t is violating no confidence to say,
Is not teetotaler, came along.
whats the matter, Sperry?" he ask
over in the Senate" said Sperry.
"Oh. cheer up" chortled Smith: ''go
on over and pay it,"
The Army bill calls for an appropria-
ton Of $69.000.000, which is $1,000. 900
less than ii was last time, and $4,000
eco less than was asked for by the War
Committee, Representative Hull, of
Iowa, Is evidently "skeered o." China,
for he says:
Every Nation that-has business re-
1ations with China must be prepared
to defend them or else pull down its
flag and leave forever the commerce of
the Pacific
The Chinese are awakening to their
great power, he explained. and he could
only express the hope that in the
awakening they would emulate the ex-
ample Of Japan and become a factor in
peace Of the world. The best way to
avoid war. he argued, Is to be prepared
for IL.
Oklahoma citizens are kicking on the
provisions OF the Statehood bill which
makes Guthrie the State Capital for a
period Of 10 years. The citizens of
Oklahoma CITY" which name ought.
by the way. to kill II for any purpose.
want the Capital there, and object to
the time limit for Guthrie, and the
starting Of State Capital row. and
want the time cut to two years. 1t
hopes to win the Capital for Oklahoma
City when the people get a chance to
vote, but know that IL the time Is made
10 years that there will not then be
much hope of change being made.
Some 20 years ago I'm the oil-boom
days Of Ohio, w. s. Hammecker was
Postmaster at the town Of Findlay, o.
The sudden increase in mail made the
facilities inadequate, and the request
FOR more clerks was not noticed. Mean
time the mail was piling up. and Post
master Hammecker, feeling that the
patrons OF the office were entitled to
decent treatment, hired more clerks,
paying for them himself. with the ex-
pectatiOn that the Post Office Depart
ment would reimburse him. But no.
indeedy. The Post Office Department,
just like all the other Departments of
the Government, is opposed to hurry
up work" They believe I'm going slow
1y-and surely, and unwinding all the
red tape and rewinding 1t smoothly and
methodically. For 20 years. now, Ham,
mecker has been asking Congress to
give him what the Post Office Depart
ment has refused to do, his $2,250,
which nobody DretendS To cav WAS NOT