The Washington herald., 1908-08-09
e MODERN 1--we TRApER.

THE MODERN SLAVE TRADER.
How He Works-TrnfTIc In Human
Beings Most Profitable in World.
Z IS oae 0f the decisions Of modern
civilization that slavery does not exist
But rhera are iu the world to-day thou
sands OF black slaves IaborIng under -he
: most hideous form OF forced labor. which
I IS only acceutuated by the absurd at
tempts % make them officially free by
means of legal documents couched II
/ phraseoIogy The negroes cannot possibly
I understand. says Tit-Bits-
A typical slave traders country Is said
I 20 exist in the Portuguese colony on the
southwest coast OF africa. There are i'm
{ mense cocoa plantations IN the Portu-
T suese islands Of san Thorne and Principe
+ and 70 obtain labo-ers fo- taeu there IS a
! gToup OF dealers who make specially OF
: providing negroes These men organize
. special parties. who explore the interior
. Of African forests and seize hundreds Of
I Unfortunate negroes Who are immediate
+ iy driven back 20 the coast ii a mznacIed
{ condition Whole families are captured
F and sold in lots according 20 physical
/ condition and age.
Tie irony OF the whole traffic IS that
. everything is done on a legal basis. There
iS a special government agent al Angola
. whose duty It Is 10 prevent the explOiUa-
I --o1 az slaves Ee. OF course. VIII not
. admit thar slavery exists The system is
E ZOO perfect But the negroes think other
wise Their fate Is one OF lifelong hard
labor. though they are engaged as labor
ers on the plantation for q certain mum
oc- OF years az what appears to be q rea-
s. -.
never paid and the legal slave knows
. sla- he VIII never get IT, At the point OF
The sword he signs an agreement lie can
not read. ergagiuE himself body and soslI
20 the traders. Once cn the island. he
never leaves, for at the end OF his period
rof I'VE OF seven years the farce Of sign
ing IS again gone through. and so on un-
I'll he is too Cld- when he is sent back 10
his prileTal dwelling not a penny the
richer tcr his life OF hard labor Il IS
very seldom indeed that any OF these
slaves live 20 old age Eve years is gen
orally enough for the strongest co1stitu-
ton.
To avoid the paying Of wages q system
OF fines Is introduced BY which the worker
cannot possibly escape losing his nominal
vsaEe- E-csslngs are. or course. everyday
Occurrences women suffering as well as
men They live in huts when not engased
II the fields. and even Il the wrelched
creatures could escape their guards they
would be utterly unable 10 leave the isl
and Thus the geographical position saves
the owners thousands Of poun6s
King Leopold derives nearly EI6o0. 90
each year from his Congo property. and
most OF THIS huge sum Is. according 10
missionaries and others. made out Of the
blood and tears OF helpless slaves. VINO
are forced 70 bring II 50 much rubber
each month 70 the Belgian uonarch's 5
agents The same farce Of so-called vol
untary sisnirg-on IS gone through here.
and, Of course certain price Is paid for
the rubber. but the dealers are anything
but eXt-svaganr when treating with IA
uves- Not 20 put TOO fine q point upon IT,
the valuable product IS obtained FOR next
to nothing BY King LeopOld-s representa-
tives, and tie natives require persuasion
10 induce them 10 md the rubber for the
white man i IS thls +pers uasion- which
has led 70 the international protest
against the Congo atrocities Very often
The persuaCers have not stopped at tor
tUre aid mUtlation when dealing with re-
caicirrGnr negroes
Great Britain IS sort Of Overlord OF Zan-
zibar. but We stu have great difficulty in
putting down slavery IN the Sultan's DO
Uinlons Tie latter was educated in
England. and 10 . certain extent Sympa-
thizes with British ideas OF freedom But
l-4eAt = SIG 70 lC GtIAS
so slavery. slightly disguised exists IN
Zanzibar Lately the dealers have learned
the Portuguese trick Of making the negro
sign an inGenture form thus binding him
SELF 20 Work for a nominal salary for q
certain number OF years
I The trade IS, Of course. the most profit
able n the world. for good slaves fetch
tempting prices. and after the human chat
tei IS disposed Of the agent has no furth-
er interest in his career. Il costs very
little TO secure the victims and owing 10
the absence Of railways the slaves are
! compelled 10 march 10 their destination
Feeding is not a serious item Of expends-
tUre; the surrounding country viii provide
enough food for the 'niggsrs
In the case Of q negro who looks likely
TO retain his physical fitness until the end
! Of the Journey little trouble IS taken. and
he is left To shift for himself in the mat
ter of food The weaklings- however.
must be fattened UP. If possible. and SO
the dealer gives them some attention
Even then this means that his profits
VIII probably be quadrupled, so the extra
expenditure is justified The market
prices Of slaves vary from e5 for a weak
boy 10 $50 or e108 for a black Hercules
who gives promise Of standing the strain
Of forced labor Women cost between G5
and E20