The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-15

port or these Commissioners From
| that report were selected seven points
| for specific mention. One needs only
TO turn to that report I'd see how well
established are those seven statements
made by the writers OF the letter We
here quote those seven points, and IN
der each point certain portions OF the
report which substantiate the state
ment. We shall use the English trans
lation of the report, published by G.
P. Putnam's Sons entitled The Con-
go: A Report OF the Commission OF
Inquiry" The numbers in parentheses
refer to the pages of this edition. Read
f rs OF The Outlook who wish TO follow
this matter further will find these ref
erenees useful The measures and
practices which the writer's Of this let
ter note are as follows.
The first point in this letter is, THE
exaction of a labor tax so oppressive
that many natives on whom it falls
have little, ii any, freedom" The Com
missioners remark %. 800 that "a labor
tax as In the case of all taxes, should
absorb only a small portion OF the ac-
tfvities of the individuals; it ought TO
supply simply the needs Of the govern
ment, be in relation TO the benefits
which the contributors receive there
from; it ought finally, as we propose,
be in harmony as far as possible with
the principle of individual liberty. and
we believe that within these limits it
cannot be criticised" BY decree Of the
King Sovereign (p- 80 the total amount
of the labor tax cannot exceed during
any one month forty hours OF actual
labor" AS matter Of fact, however.
what do we find? In the first place (p.
80. ii is not labor but produce that is
exacted. and so great an amount OF
produce that in some cases the native
has little or no time for anything but
the toll of gathering it and conveying
it TO his taskmasters. Thus, concern
ing the collection of chikwangue (p.
46. a. 4s):
"Al of the witnesses who were heard
by the Commission on this subject were
unanimous in critieising the large
amount that was imposed upon the
women of certain villages, the conffn-
uIty of the imposition, and the long
journeys that had to be made. The
worst feature OF this imposition IS its
continuity. AS the chikKangue can be
preserved only few days, the native,
even by doubling his activities, cannot
at one time discharge his obligation
extending over long period The i'm
position becomes a sort of obliga-
tory labor, since there IS ever before
the native the thought OF delivery that
must soon be made. - It is mad
nissible that he should be obliged to
travel $50 kilometers lover ninety
Tnilesl to bring to the place of delivery
a tax which represents a value OF about
one franc and a half Iabout thirty
eentsl. Following the rule that we
have observed in vogue. the labor is
thrown upon the weaker members Of
the family, SO that il Is the women,
children and domestic slaves who are
forced to be the agencies Of transport.
This popularity, instead of attenuat-
ing the bad features Of the system,
rather increases them. For it IS these
who form the industrious element OF
the village and if a great part OF their
time is taken up by the sxigenc5es OF
the impost and procuring the means
for their own subsistence, they have
not, however great may be their de-
sire chance to perform other labor;
hence the abandonment of native in
dustries and Inpoverishment OF VII
lagos
So the report gives q similar picture
OF wretched conditions as result Of
forced labor for porIerage %. 81 sea-3.
Without doubt the form Of impress
ed labor that weighs most heavily up
On the natives is the service as portsrs.
Caravans of native porters could /
be seen in q constant stream carrying
upon their heads innumsrable articles |
that we're inpatiently awaited by the |
whites on the upper reaches Of the |
Congo. I" The caravan route where |
black and white, united in the same |
effort, and paid such q heavy tribute |
10 fatigue and fever. the dark pathway /
holding il its keeping so many lIfaless /
bodies, has been invaded by the plants /
and trees OF the forest In two days |
the trains now go from Matadi 10 Leo |
poldville and from the Pool to the low |
er river; the natives are born again 70 /
a new life But for every route /
which has disappeared, many Others /
have been called into existence as the /
new regions have been opened up by /
the State"
The practical slavery OF the native |
who is forced to gather rubber is thus |
described by the Commissioners (p- /
$50:
In the majority Of cases he must /
make a journey every fortnight which /
takes two or three days, sometimes /
more, in order TO reach that part Of /
the forest where ne can find in sUfH- /
cient quantities the rubber vines There.
for a certain number OF days, he leads
an uncomfortable existence He must
construct for himself a temporary shell
ter he does not have the food
TO which he is accustomed; lie Is
exposed 10 the attacks Of
wild beasts. He must carry what he
has gathered 10 the State post or 10
the company, and not until then does
&c return 20 his village. where he can
larry only TWO or three days before
The time for the next delivery is close
g. hand. The native -" sees
he greater part Of his time taken up
a the gathering OF rubber"
The second point in the letter IS the
Appropriation OF land 10 such ar e1-
tent that the natives are practically
prisoners within their ovn territory"
The Commissioners explain that TIE
State has ordained that 20 il belong ali
Facant lands which means lp- 1s1 all
he land except those parts OF the ter
-fsory that are included within their
the nativssF1 villages or under their