New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-20
CRUEL FINES IMPOSED.

Another opening for abuse occurs from the
authority which the state gives It's officials TO
impose fines No fine. unless enthusiastically
small. with justice be inflicted on men who.
like the Congolese natives. have income be-
yond the meagre gratuity which they receive
for satisfactory performance Of the states I'M
position. and property. except. perhaps. a
few fowls and goats. and such store OF brass
rods they may accumulate
AS an instance OF the extortion to which tho
natives are liable at the hands OF the local
official autOcrat. It IS sufficient to quote the
case OF a village near CO0uilhatvils. This
village. OF which the population was estimated
at about six hundred people. was required TO
find food for the state post 1t had failed 10
deliver the full quantity. and had In cOnse-
quence. among other pUntshments, been fined
$4,000 brass rods, worth E11O. AS the gTatuity
given by the state is in case higher than
one rod for a days work II follows that at the
lowest estimate. these six hundred people (aS-
Stunning the fine 70 be divided without distiHc-
ton OF age or sex) would have To work absO-
lutely without any reward for ninety-One days
In order to discharge the fine incurred by being
on one occasion behindhand in the weekly food
supply. The infection OF this particular fine.
besides being cruelty excessive, had an effect
morally disastrous to the community, FOR. 10
meet their respective shares of the fine. two
parents sold a for thousand rods. a
widow sold her daughter Ga girl ten years oldi
for one thousand rods, and man sold his vito
for nine hundred rods
When punishment fails TO stimulate rubber
production the officials know remedy for
checking the decrease OF revenue but to punish
more and more severely until their WretChSd
victims. disheartened by the growing difficulties
OF the states demands and trembling under thu
ever present danger OF brutal punishment. leave
their homes and seek refuge in the forest. vhera
they are beyond the reach OF the stats far
as its organization IS based official regula-
ttonS. This last desperate expedtent cannot be
punished In any manner authorized BIZ the
laws for the most pitiless OF these have already
been used In Furnishing more trivial offences.
Yet, II the state Is to maintain It's authority any
attempt at flight must De punished. for were
they to become common the state would be
powerleSS to prevent them.
The work that must be done. too foul TOT
civilized hands. Is intrusted TO the forest
guards. brought. It must be remembered. from
distant districts. Backed by the authority OF
the state. armed with weapons OF precision, In
tOXicated with a sense OF their absolute power,
ciplined savages infiict q fearful retribution on
the miserable wretches whose sole crime Is
that they have resisted the obligation OF swell
ing the states eXcheQuer. The forest guards
reach the camp OF the refugees. who hy IN all
directions Women encountered with babies.
reason OF their slower movements. the first
victims. Those who escape hide IN the trees or
In the long grass, whence they are dislOdged
and murdered. AS evidence OF their valOr, as a
Belgian apOlOgist declared. or. according to an
other explanation proof that they have per
formed their duty, the forest guards hack tho
right hands or other members from the corpsess
At last. wearied with slaughter. the forest
guards, In imitation OF their masters. hold q
mock court over the survivors. The well IA
The men are held 70 ransom tortured TO
disclose the hiding place OF such little wealth 0s
they possess Thus IS resistance Quelled. and
the survivors, cOwed and beaten, once more
come under the power OF the Congo Free Stats's
benevolent" rule