Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-11-05
THE CONGO FREE STATE.

Not long ago the MONITOR put up
vigorous kick because the United
States found excuses to so often in
terfere with other peoples business.
This was after the quelllng OF South
American disputes and as she was
about to interfere in Cuba where
United States property was in danger
of being destroyed; but now comes
the revolving news from the Congo
Free State in Africa of murders,
atrocious crimes and all kinds OF
human abuses and the United States
refuses to interfere. Property on the
one hand, life on the other.
Did not the United States bind her
self in common with other nations in
the Berlin congress of 1885 to protect
life and property in this state, and
make it forever free state TO citi-
zens of any country, and declare that
no monopoly or concession of any
kind was to be granted to powers or
individuals? Those were the terms of
agreem ent at that time when Leopold
III, King of Belgium, was made sover-
eign of the Congo Free State by
mutual consent of the powers then in
conference at Berlin.
But ''free state' can be applied to
the land no longer. King Leopold has
usurped property and life and is lit
orally killing off the natives by
thousands and millions; yet even
now after these statements have been
proven facts the powers refuse 60 act
because it might possibly mean war.
The commission seLt to Africa to
investigate the charges confirm the
most forhiCding reports despite the
fact the majority of the commission
were from Leopold's constituency.
Leopold is using nearly the whole of
this vast territory 900, COO square
miles,, rich n natural resources s, for
his own personal gain, compelling the
natives to work without recompense
gathering rubber and other products.
In case of shortage of the amount
apportioned TO the individual to bring
in, he is whipped, his wife and chill
dren outraged and taken from him
and in many cases he himself murder
ed as an example of the penalty for
shortage. These terrible savage
crimes, inflicted by native savage
troops under orders from King Leo
pold, are staring in the face the
powers that gave birth to this state
but they refuse to act.
This is not mere idle talk but the
facts are authe attic and came to the
editor in a peculiarly personal man.
ner. The remedy lies with the peo-
pie, not by giving time or money
but by making public sentiment 81
strong that the United States will
act. The government is the agent o
the people and when personal appeal
by letter food the secretary of state
Elihu H. Root, and our national sena
tors and representatives, then w
may expect the government to act.
. 1t is not often we come to our read
| ers with an appeal of this kind bu
, the facts have come to us In a start
! ling light and we feel it duty of con
science to inform the people and as
for their action. Write Secretar
t Root imploring him to interfere i
8 the Congo Free State in behalf c
suffering humanity.
If further information is desire
write to the Congo Reform Associa
> ton of 710 fremont Temple, Boston
= and information regarding condition
: as they are revealed can be had. A
;. article in the last Everybody's Mage
. zine speaks of Leopold but treats til
: commercial and political side of til
matter. The New York Sun of Oets
: Der %, however, treats editorial
the sociali5tic side as taken up abov
and declares it to be an outrageous al
deplorable state of affairs, and Il
methods TO be ''far more atrocious
wasteful of human life than any tn
- were ever folio wed in the British
- Spanish West Indies"
ne WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.