The Washington times., 1908-09-12
SLAVERY EXISTS
At PRESENT TINE
Traffic in Human Beings
Most Profitable in
World.

II is one of the delusions Of modern
civilization that slavery does not exist.
But there are in the world today thou
sands OF black slaves iaboring under the
most hideOus forms OF forced labor
which is only accentuated by the absurd
attempts to make them officially Tree
By means of legal documents couched in
phraseology the negroes cannot possibly
understand, says Tit-Bits
A typical slave traders country Is
said TO exist in the Portuguese colony
on the southwest coast Of Africa. There
are immense cocoa plantations IN the
Portuguese islands OF san ThO,Ee and
Principe, and 10 obtain laborets Tor
them there Is group or dealers VINO
make a speciality OF providing negroes
These men organize special parties, VINO
explore the interior Of African forests
and seize hundrsds Of unfortunate ne
groes, who are Immediately driven back
TO the coast in a manacled cohditloh-
Whole fsmiies are captured and sold IN
lots. according to physical condltlOh
Protected by Law
The irony Of thjz whole traffic IS that
everything is done on a legal basis.
There is a speciu government agent at
Angola, whose duty it Is TO prevent the
exploitation OF slaves. He, OF course,
will not admit that slavery exists Inc
system Is too perfect. But the negroes
think otherwise. Their fate IS one OF
lifetime hard labot. though they are en-
gagged as laborers 1n the plantatlcn LOi
a certain number q years al what ap-
wage. IL Is alleged, IS never paid, ana
the legal slave" knows thal - VIII
never get *. At the point OF the SWORD
he signs an agreement ne cannot READ
enga sing himself body and soul 70 the
traders Once on the island, he never
leaves. for at the end OF his period OF
fiye or seven years the farce Of signing
again Is gone through, and 50 on uhtl
ne is too old, when ne Is sent back 10
his primeVai dwelling not penny tlle
richer for his life OF hard labor II IS
very seldom. indeed, that any OF these
slaves live 10 old age five years ls
generally enough for the strongest con-
stitutlOn.
TO avoid the paying Of wages a sys-
TEN of fines Is introduced by Whlcn the
worker cannot possibly escape losing
his nominal wage. Floggings are. Of
course everyday ocuuences, women
suffering as well as men. Tney i've IN
huts when not engaged IN tne nelos,
and even IL the wretched creatures couiu
escape their guards they would be utter
IN unable TO leave the island. Ihus the
geographical position saves the owners
thousands OF pounds.
LeopOld's rroft.
King Leopold derives nearly R1.000. 900
each year from his Kongo property, and
most OF this huge sum IS. according To
missionaries and others, made out OF the
blood and tears Of helpless slaves, who
are forced 10 bring Ia so much rubber
each month 10 the Belgian monarch s
agents The same farce Of so-called vol
unta~y signing-on is gone through here,
and of course a certain price is paid
for the rubber but the dealers are any
thing but eXtravEgant when treating
with natives. Not 10 put zoo me a
point upon Il, the valuable pIouuSl II
obtained Tor next 10 nothing by King
/ I.eODOlds representatives and the na-
tfves require persuasion TO induce them
to find the rubber for the white man
It is this persuasion which has LED 70
the international protest against the
Kongo atrocities Very often the per
suaders have not stopped at torture and
mutiiatiOn when dealing with recaici-
trant negroes d,
Zanzibar but we still have great diff
cultv in putting down slavery IN the
SuItan's .sominions. The latter was edu-
Gated IN England. and 10 a certain eX-
tent sympathiZes with BRUSH IDEAS OF
freedom. But there Is the revenue 10 be
considered and so slavery, slightly dis
efl{sed exists in Zanzibar. Lately the
dealers have learned the portuguese
trick OF making the negro sl8n an IN
denture form, thus binding hlmseI 20
work for a nominal salary Tor certain
number Of years.
THE trade IS, of course, the most prof
table in the world, for good slaves fetch
tempting prices, and after the human
chaffeI Is disposed OF the agent mas no
further interest in his career. It costs
very little to secure the victims, and.
.ov,ing 10 the absence Of railways, the
slaves are compelled 20 march TO their
destination. Feeding IS not a serious
item Of expenditure: the surrounding
country will provide enough food for the
''niggeTs."