Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-27
ROOTS ATTENTION
CALLED TO CONGO
PROMINENT NEW WORKERS RE,
QUEST HIM TO USE MORAL
SUPPORT TO CORRECTION
Assertion is Made That Flagrant In
humanity Exists-Year Has Passed
Since Report Was Made by the Com
missioners Appointed.

New York, Dec. ga letter signed
by j. Pierpont Morgan, DR.. Lyman Alb
bott and other prominent citizens of
New York, was addressed to Secretary
of State Elihu Root yesterday direct
ing attention to conditions In the Con-
60 Free State where, it is asserted,
fragrant inhumanity exists" and urg-
ing him to use the "moral support"
of the United States to correct the
abuses.
The communication follows:
"Over a year has passed since the
report Of the commissioners chosen by
the chief executive and virtual owner
of Congo to investigate conditions In
the state, was published. In spite OF
their natural desire to give all posi-
BILE credit to their sovereign, the com
missioners felt restrained to- report
practices Of fragrant inhumanity.
Among these are the following:
II. The exaction of labor tax SO
oppressive that many natives on whom
1t falls, have little. If any. freedom.
"2. Appropriation Of land to such
extent that the natives are practically
prisoners within their own territory.
"s. Employment under authority
of the government as sentries, of cruel
british blacks, chosen from hostile
tribes, who murder. pillage and rape
the people for whose protection the
government was avowedly establish
1 ed.
"4. Abuse Of natives by white rep
resentatives of the officially recogniz
ed companies.
Children Abused.
4 "5. Binding little children to years
Of labor at uncertain wages by con
i tracts they do not understand, ane
4 even more serious maltreatment o.
children supposedly under the imme
diate care Of the government.
J "6. Great injustice in the admins
). tration of the courts, SO that the ma
tives dread the name of Bona. th'
place where the judicial system wa
u centralized
az. Punitive expeditions, not TO
the purpose of establishing peace ant
order, but terrifying the natives init
paying a tax. which, as administered
even the commissioners regard as In
human.
Not Charges Against Congo.
"s. 1t is to be remembered thes
are not charges brought against tn
, Congo government, but findings of tn
! commission appointed by the chief ea
) ecutive Of the government Acting uI
on the findings, second commission
, also appointed by the king. recon
. mended measures of reform. No step
have been taken to adopt them. Their
. is no evidence that the Congo govern
: ment Is undertaking to remedy tn
= evils. The powers which created tn
Congo government clearly have tn
= right to call the government to a,
count. Inasmuch as the United State
!. gave moral support to the establish
ment Of the Congo government, 1t
!. justifiend in giving moral support
: any undertaking to secure condition
that will not disgrace civilization. W
wish to assure you that for any mea
ure you may adopt you will have OF
earnest approval"
j Slgners Of Letter.
The letter was signed by Re
h Messrs. Lyman Abbott, Henry Motto
t wilford l.. Robbins, George Willial
e Knox. Charles H. Parkhurst, John
u Peters. William R. Richard, Anson
Atterbury. Percy s. Grant and Massr
William Jay Schieffelin. William I
Douglass. Charles A. Schierin, Spe
Ger Trask. George Haven Putnam. E
erett P. Wheeler, Robert G. Ogden,
!, Pierpont Morfan, D. Willis James,
! Fulton Cutting, j. Cleveland Cady, Y
= 7 Havemeyer.