The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-26
WRONGS OF THE
CONGO NATIVES
United States Called Upon to
Use "MoraI Support" to
Correct Abuses.
PLAIN STATEMENT OF FACT
LETTER SENT TO SECRETARY
ROOT.

New York Dec. ga letter signed
by j. Pierpont Morgan DIR. Lyman Abb
bolt and other prominent citizens OF
New York was addressed to Secretary of
State Elihu Root today. directing his
attention to conditions in the Congo
Free State, where, 1t is asserted, fla
grant inEamanity exists. and urging
him, on behalf of the American people,
to use the moral support" of the Unit
ed States government to correct the
abuses the Congo natives are alleged to
he suffering from.
| The communication is as follows:
| over a year has passed since the re-
port Of the commissioners chosen by the
chief executive and virtual owner of
the Congo to investigate conditions in
that state was published In spite of
their natural desire to give all possible
credit to their sovereign. the commits
sioners felt constrained to report the
existence Of measures and practices OF
fragrant inhumanity. Among these
measures and practices are the follow
ing:
Recital of Wrongs.
1.-The exaction of labor tax so OPP
lpressiye that many natives on whom it
falls have little if any. freedom
Appropriation of land TO such an
! extent that the natives are practically
prisoners within their own territory
"3-The employment under authority
! of the government as Sentries of cruel,
british blacks. chosen from hostile
tribes. who murder. piilage AID rape the
people for whose protection the govern
ment is aVowedly established.
1.-THE abuse of the natives by white
: representatives of officially recognized
companies.
MaItreatment of Children.
"5-The binding of little children to
years of labor at uncertain wages by
contracts they do not understand and
even moro serious maltreatment OF
children supposedly urder the imme-
S date care of the government.
"e-Great injustice in the admin
: istration Of the courts, SO that the ma
: tives dread the name of Bona. the
place where the judicial system is cen
i traliZed.
( 1.-THE sending out of punitive ex.
t petitions, not for the purpose of estab
: fishing peace and order. but for tn
purpose of terrifying the natives int
= paying a tax. which, as administered
even the commissioners regard as in
e human.
g Founded on Facts.
at is 30 be remembered that thes
are not charges against the Congo gov
lernment but findings of the commission
! which was appointed by the chief ex
- ecutiye. Of the government to investi
; gate and report on the facts. Actin
o upon these findings. a second commits
L sion. also appointed b. the king, ia
recommended measures of refCrm. \
stems have been taken to adopt then
There is no evidence that the Cong
L government is undertaking seriously {
lie remedy these evils. The powers whic
/ created the Congo government hav
II clearly a right TO cali that government
to account.
q A Party in Interest.
''Inasmuch as the United States CAV
he its moral support to the estabilshmer
lie of the Congo government, it is justifie
"a in giving its moral support 10 any vi
- dertaking to secure conditions in III
1e Congo that viii nol disgrace civiliza
IL ton We wish to assure you that fC
n. any measure you may adopt In order !
rs give the powers such moral support
re the United States. you will have oil
earnest and urgent approval.
The letter is signed by the Re
d, Messrs. Lyman Abbott. Henry Note
u MILFORD l. Robbins, George Villa
Knox. Charles H. Parkhurst, John
Peters. William II. Richards. Arson
Ike Atterbury. Percy $ Grant and Messr
William ]. Schieffelin, William II. Dou'
- lies Charles A. Schieren. Spencer Tras
= George Haven, Putnam, Everett
Wheeler. Robert c. Ogden, j. PierpOl
Morgan. D. Wills JaTes. r. Fult'
Cutting. J. Cleveland Cady and W.
HaVem--eT.