Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-16
CONGO CONDITIONS STILL LAME\Y.

In spite of til. tremendous efforts
made by diferout countries to bring
about the Inauguration of far-roach-
ing and greatly desired reforms in
connection with U.-.um's administra-
ton of affairs io the Congo region.
and in particular r the wide pub
Lefty given this SUI. get by the Congo
reform associati.a of the United
states, there is good ground for the
belief that conditions in that bcnight-
ed region continue to be dcploratle
At one time it was hoped that So
luton of the problem would be found
in the annexation of this territory by
Belgium and the consequent develop
mcnt thereof in accordance with the
terms of the Berlin act of 1855. guar
antccinC the fair treatment Of ma
tiVcs and policy of free trade. bus
it is now feared annexation would
simply mean the adoption Of torn
which would leave King LEOPOLD. tho
Bad. in practical control Of tho sit-
uation and consequently able to con
tlrue the abominablc ana outrageous
practices which have Mortified the civ
iiized world
According to all accounts there are
iu the Belgian Parliament ana lubfc
single individuals and groups of i've
dividua's who desire to 500 thorough
reforms in the Congo. and vino have
urged their views to the extent of
their ability But these clements
constitute small ana helpless min
orit;-. A dominant influence is cxci--
ciscd by the King and his financial
associates. Leopold II. by a process
wildly described by DR., Robert +.
Park in Every body'3 Magazine. has
succeeded i'm making himself the gen
ora' manager of Belgium He has
used his prorogatives as King to adj
vance his financial fortunes, and has
in turn made his great wealth react
| King. Through his press bureau Va
has controlled the views Of the preu
| inert mass of the Belgian public. ilc
is determined TO pcrpetuato the exist
ing regime Of enormous profits i'm tho
| Congo, and his benonciarios are. of
course Of the same mind There arc
millions invested in tho present sit
uation" in the Congo. These vested
interests" include many of tho mos:
influential citizens ana officials of
! Belgium Under these circumstance,
to alter conditions In the Free Stat,
and institute reforms IS practical
mpossibility-unlcss some eXtraord-
mary force be brought to bear from
without.
The advocates of Congo reform hold
that international intervention is tn,
outside force which must bee depended
upon. The Congo Reform association
has determined in consideration Of the
utterly inadequate terms Of tho pro
posed Belgian Colonial law, whici
may be taken as representing the in
tcntious of the dominant forces ii
Belgium toward the Congo issue. a
once to urge tho administration a
Washington to press for immediate
international intervention. Tho res
olutior unanimously adopted by TIN
Senate last February authorized thu
President to cooperate with or ale
any of the powers signatory of tn
treaty of Berlin, in amoliorating con
ditions in the Free State. At tn
time that the resolution was adopted
it was expected that Great Brital
would shortly issue call for an In
ternational conference. But at tina
moment King Leopold succeeded II
securing further delay by having tn
annexation project brought up in Bel
GUM In apparently an acute form.
In view of the extent to which tn
attention of the United States gov
ernment Is being absorbed in the Ia
East, the chances are that consider