New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-25
STRUGGLE OVER CONGO.
NNEY4TTON EXPECTED.
Altitude Of King LeOpoId-Pos
ti0nS Of Belgian Parties.

r7r8sse.s. July 24.-The close Of King Leo
,olds long struggle to stave off the annexa-
,ion Of the Congo 10 Belgium, and to retain his
,ersonal sovereignty over this rich African state
e foreshadowed in the agreement reached on
July j. between the Belgian and the Congo
governments. defining the terms by which the
Congo Free State shall pass into the possession
Of Belgium
This transfer VIII mark important epoch
for the Congo as heretofore the entire conduct
Of affairs civil and military has been under
the personal direction OF King Leopold and
Cabinet u Congo officers entirely independent Of
Belgium. whereas the new form Of government
would make the Belgian government, instead of
the King responsible for the conduct Of Congo
erairs- The British and American governments
fa-o-0d placing this government responsibility
or Belgium, as the British officials made the
point that there was great difficulty in dealing
win the Congo in view Of its anomalous posi-
tiou as a personal dependency Of the King
whereas foreign governments could deal with
4 through the usual diplomatic channels If the
Belgian government assumed responsibility 1oF
Is administration.
The proposed transfer comes at a time when
Major Iemar's charges OF Congo atrocities are
again directing attention 10 the administration
Charges Of this nature have heretofore aroused
much resentment in Europe and the Oi'I',1
States and the Congo administration mas soue'le
n meet them IN part DN AllS an
2 commission. the report Of which olscloSeu
many ser4o1ls abuses Major LeInair no" re-
news the attack with vehemence anu an 1N
thorirv which give added effect to ms chai StS
For FIVE months after the Belgian pai 70
-o,r-,++a5 itself last December to the fr1hCille
- annexation Count Smet de Mayer. me
z7-a-7iar and a strong personal fr1eno o. l"0
1ytrr blocked the way. and the paf4itrlel'"iS
conn; esfon appointed 10 Investigate the lh''l-
.-t.s rr The Congo financial administration was
.--sse - get At the facts The De Troos
,7-a-r-7ent assumed power in May, on the
-ro--fss 10 push the question, but there IS a
s,,e-,rfo-l that Il made an agreement with the
80 who was ready At last TO yield on the
question Of annexation through fear Of inter
,-arrfon tv outside powers. but. 4 IS believed,
had no intention OF permitting the Belgian par
reYuenr = he could prevent II, 10 pTy zoo
closely into the Congo administrations The
question 81 the responsibility Of the future ad-
7uinIstra-ion Of the Congo under scheme Of an
rexa-5En IS 70 be. therefore. the real issue.
No difficulty about the treaty Of annexation
itself IS anticipated. II Is expected 10 be sim
liar 10 the one proposed by Count Merode when
he vss Premier in 1895. This document simply
said that the sovereign Of the Congo. Leopold II.
cedes his sovereign rights and all the assets Of
the congo Free State to Belgium. which in
turn would assume the liabilities Of the African
state. The real fight viii follow upon the terms
OF -he colonial law. When Belgium was Gre
ated, n 1890, Belgian colonies were not fore
seen and no provision was made in the con
stiturion for colonial administration. The Bel
gan Eoyaltsts Conservatives, CleriCaIs and
fraction Of the AIoderates) want the law prac-
ticaIly % convert the present Congo admin
iEI-a-ioI into al autonomous government not
responsible TO parliament
The other side liberals and Radicals) also de-
sire 10 give the Congo full autonomy. but insist
that unless the administration is made directly
responsible u the Belgian parliament there viii
be 10 way Of correcting present abuses ana pre-
venting the exploitation Of the natives for the
benefit Of the rubber and ivory companies. IN
other words. they say The humanitarian reasons
which now exist for annexation VIII be defeated
and the whole scheme for getting the Congo out
OF the clutches Of its present NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
NAV as well be abandoned
The indications are that the whole subject will
be thrashed out in parliament during the fall,
and that January or February, 1905, viii see the
Congo Free State a colony Of Belgium. instead
Of q personal dependency Of King Leopold.