New-York tribune., 1908-08-21
BELGIUM TAKES CONGO
p4SS1GE OF THE TREATY.
Financial Responsibility Still 10
BE Settled.

Brussels Aug a0-The Chamber OF Deputies
.aonted to-day the Congo annexation treaty by
~ votes TO 30 Although to-day's action prob
ably win insure the solution of the great Congo
,-obleTa there still remains open the important
question of Belgium's financial responsibility.
This action on the part of the Chamber had
not been expected. and at the last moment
nearly caused the collapse of the Cabinet At
tbo first reading recently Of the colonial DILL
,,ljch provided for the administration OF the
CONGO Independent State and was adopted to-
5ax by 80 votes 10 ~ Herr Woeste. leader of the
4,igbt obtained the passage OF an amendment
-e,ieving Belgium Of the responsibility OF guar
anteeing the payment of the interest on the
,-o,qo debt The government made deter
-,i-e5 effort yesterday restore the stipulation
tba; Belgium would make advances to Congo
in case OF necessity. but was defeated, and 1t
mas generally believed that the ministers would
be forced resign
after a long meeting Of King Leopold and
,ha members of his Cabinet it was announced
that the ministry would not resign. the govern
roent temporarily accepting the Chamber $
action on the financial question. 1t was pointed
ont however. that direct contradiction ex-
is between the treaty and the colonial bill as
voted. the treaty shouldering the financial re-
.nonsibility while the bill rejects it
= i understood that the government will
make an effort in the Senate to amend the DILL
GO as 70 reconcile the two provisions Among
-7e important notifications of the original artl-
,1as of the bin are the abolition Of forced labor
and the prohibition against members Of the
,,.lcsan Parliament developing Congo conces-
sions.
The massage OF the treaty means that the
annexation OF the state TO Belgium Is no"
--,.,i,o11,- assured. as the Senate and King
4l,a
-s-eonal rule of King Leopold in Africa is now
7--ay-ine TO a close, the state hereafter beins
administered by Belgium, and the hope is wide
sr-aad that atrocities and maladministration
min cease in this part OF the world. which for
years mas been subject Of investigation and
hitter complaint by humanitarians all over the
world Governments became deeply interested
in bringing about the introduction Of reforms
in The Congo. and II became known last year
that Great Britain and the United States had
ahe1t decided 70 interfere unless conditions i'm
proved.
The situation regarding annexation was
thrown into great confusion last year by the
acton Of King Leopold in Withdrawing the
control Of the crown domain. the richest part
Of the Congo. from the regular Congo admins
rra-ioa This action WAS bitterly resented by
the friends Ct annexation in Parliament a
l1slrration OF Belgian rights. and the opposi-
tion became 50 great that in February Of this
year King Leopold agreed to abandon the
crown domain and the crown foundation to
Belgium. stipulating that Belgium should not
or.v assume al the Congo obligations. amount
ing to S21.o000G1 but undertake also to con-
tiuue The Kings usufruct IN the COngos reve-
uues during his lifetime. Belgium re-
CURED specifically to respect the concessions
granted 10 two American companies in 1905.
in which Thomas F Ryan is interested These
stirulations were embodied in the final draft
OF the treaty
Tnder the terms OF the treaty the Congo's
revenues are charged with the following annual
allowances So 900 10 Prince Albert. son of the
Count Of Flanders, brother Of King Leopold;
$4,000 10 Princess CIementine, the Kings third
daughter and. as an especial token Of gratitude
20 The King. the sum OF 100000 in fifteen
annual instaIrnents. fo- his use in constructing
hospitals and schools and fCrw-a riding scientific
work IN Africa Furthermore. Belgium must
exrend the sum of 100000 in work for which
contracts already have been made In addition.
King Leopold retains in zee simple forty thou
sand hectares Of land at AIayumbe for coffee
and cocoa growing experiments, and during his
lifetime he is TO enjoy his interests in the Congo
concession companies and the property in Bel
GUM and France which he purchased OUT OF the
funds OF the Congo Foundation. on the death
Of The King all this property will revert to Bel
GUM