Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-01
RIGHTS IN THE CONGO
MoRaAN's RESOLUTION REPORT
ED TO THE SENATE.
Information Desired as to Concessions
for Gathering Rubber Granted
to Americans.

Senator Morgan reported favorably from
the committee on foreign relations today
his resolution calling on the President for
information as to any concessions any
Americans may have received from King
Leopold for the gathering of India rubber
in the Congo Free State
Mr. Morgan was given permission to file
a statement on the subject. and asked that
the resolution go to the calendar, as he
understood several senators desired to
make an investigation of the question.
The statement was written by Mr.. Nor
gan himself. and in it he recites how capt.
talists of the civilized nations are pushing
into the rubber forests with all manner
Of monopolistic arrangements for SUBJECT
ing this great productive git OF nature
to their craving for wealth" He ar
raigns scathingly Leopold, king of the Bel
gians, for the manner in which he has
exploited the Congo lands In accumulatlng
wealth to himself by imposing tasks OF
personal labor to the extreme OF cruelty
upon the native population
Powers of Concessionaires.
Mr. Morgan charges that concessionaires
have been empowered by King Leopold to
exercise the same distressing authority
over the people, which they have proceeded
to enforce without restraint and without
the responsibilities to public opinion which
should check their avarice and greed in
dealing with an ignorant and subjugated
people,
Mr.. Morgan takes the position that the
United States, by reason of its negro popu-
lation descendant from Congo percentage, is
especially obligated to support the move
ment to reserve to the native population the
wealth of Congo products. He says that
any concession granted by King Leopold to
wealthy citizens of the United States is not
valid unless confirmed by the sgnatory
powers to the Brussels act. signed in 1880.
The senator declares that if the American
company has not communicated its trans
actions to the government of the United
States it is the plain duty of this govern
ment to make inquiry to the extent of
the concession. and TO all the terms and
conditions of the grant. He says also it is
the duty of this government to inquire into
a concession alleged to have been made by
the government of Liberia of all its India
rubber and mahogany lands to a British
syndicate.
Mr. Morgan closes with the following dec
laration.
Duty of This Country.
1T is the duty of the United States gov
eminent to see to it that no barrier or i'm
pediment is granted by the act of Leopold,
or by any other authority. to debar the ex-
lied Africans who have been held in slavery
in the United States, from the right to re-
turn to their native land and to hold. in
company with their kinspeople. the free and
unobstructed opportunity to enjoy the great
advantages which are now offered to them.
and which the United States owes to them
of repatriation in their own country with
out let or hindrance.
1.-THE native resources of Central Africa
present vast stores of treasure to invite
their aid in developing the wealth of that
country. and 1t is time that the United
States should interpose its just powers.
whatever they may be- in aiding these ex-
lies to establish their sovereign rights in
the country that God has given to them"