The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-25
.LEOPOLD'S RULE
 CEASES IN CONGO Belgium Takes Country Out of
 Kings Control COLONY WILL BE FORMED Agreement Has Been Made Between Congo and Belgian Governments Which Will Place Congo on <
 Safe Basis. [
COLONY WILL BE FORMED

,sussels July .4.-The clos D. hiL1e E' 3oold's long struggle to staYe oG q fe annexation of the Congo 10 Belgium anI' retain his personal sovereignty over thfs rich and extensive African state Is forf- shadowed in the agreement reported by tween Belgium and the Congo government elaborating the terms upon which E"e Congo Free State shall pass into tho pYs- session of Belgium. This transfer NiH mark an ,mnortant enocb for the CcRgo, as heretofore the entire conduct of ai- fairs has been under the personal d"ee- ton of King Leopold and a eablnle' oi Congo officers entirely separate froI'i anu independent of Belgium, whereas tHe ne" rogi,,,o ,,,ill mako tho Reis,ap goye, nment, instoad of tho ling i,diyid,,aliy P, r,tsponsi- ble for the conduct of Congo affairs.
 The British and American govcF U have favored the placing of thist soN II n,orto1 rasno,sthtiit,, n, po1oinn4. as the r,,ttist, ofeaiais have ,,od, t,a Joint that tto.a ,,,as ,,roa+ dtfeouit,' in daad fling with tho ,,.,,,,,o In ,,fo,, of its on.1o nous po- s,ttto,, ,,o,.so,,,1 doaaraet,iy of the I,,no u,horeas roreien ',n,'orn,ne| nts could deal with it through the diplomai 'ie ' e'ia' nels if the Belgian government as9"iiieu responsibility for it's administ
 The proposed transfer comes. o. 'I ~ ~'iii' when Major Lemair's charges. U. Coiis atrocities are again directing ''" 'o the present administration nai Se9 VI this nature have heretofore ar Hpaeu 'li'.S' resentment in Europe and tle '"iteu ,.. States and the Congo adminis'i a'i1n 43 i,a7 sought to meet them in part s i.I m
 Vestigations, of a commission. t' Nf
 sentative disclosing .many abtf ft .,i.,
 For five months after the Be5s i''n "a ~, ment committed itself last the annexation a strong persoI ,t
 @ t,'. .,,,'e '.,',it,,, a,oitd 10 investi- gate the intricacies of the CoGPo ''i' administration was powerles2' eo r, the facts. The De Tross gov ',. '7 sumed power in May upon th9 pto"''9' 'o push the question but there if a i, ,,' .pil that 1t had made an aSreemeEntt -. VI ie .,'e king who was ready at last to el,'. le t.. question of annexation through te"i oi '" teryentlon on the part of outsi ~ p .. ,a|
 No difficulty about the treats oi %"i'
 ation itself is anticipated IF. iS"' "e ''. . . will follow upon the terms of 'iie o,t'a ,ea, law When Belgium was crd'''e" III i'''' Belgian colonies were not for5s' "nu 'lo provision was made for colo3i" ~ '",''''i tration. The Belgian royalisfs "a'lt ''ie law practically to convert tue Pieaen' Pll Congo administration into pul1t,o'''D'is ,,D'D'', government not responsible 10 ,"ii' :, -. :.
 The other side 0iberals). al9" 7''e .' 'o BY BY 'is ,s i,i,,t.,t-ati,, is adopted directly responsible to the B{ s '.,,'',, ernment there will be no way & oi ,I'I ~
 ing present abuses and preventa f..,st = ploitation of the natives for th '' VI the rubber and ivory companieg on,
 The whole subject will be il 1 ts in parliament during the veal a''U ,,.,,.s '. ilt . 'e'''u'' i,,. r poloi, sm instead of a personal dependency of '''e