The Irish standard., 1909-02-20


ton. THE officers of this association"
says Capt. Fritz Joubert Duquesne,
himself an AfriCander and an unim-
reachable witness on kongo matters,
are a Mr.. John Holt and u certain =
J.. Morel. in my opinion two Of the
most INSCRIPTIONS schcmers on the
face Of the earth. These two men and
their affiliations are the active plot
ters against the kongo Independent
State. They have stopped to every
vile trick; to every low lie. and to cv-
cry foul invention conceivable to aid
them in their efforts. Not long ago they
were caught red handed in an attcmpt
to bribc Il kongo official into accusing
the kongo administration of cruelties
and atrocities that were never commit
ted. have the photographs of tho
documentary evidence in my posses.
sion"
This testimony of Duqucsnc, though
comparatively recent, is not new. Two
S'ti' sbt,' vi. QUIT VI N,IllcHRO (lnI-
vcrsity gave practically the same owl
dcncc on his return from the kongo.
whittier he had gone to study condi-
tions on tho spot He spent over n
year in travelling through the Free
state. and the result of his invcstiga-
tions was that "tllc whole huhbub' an
he called 1t. was only Il prctcXt to
grab the Konso IN the name or thu
manlty." whilst. at tho same time,
worse atrocities arc going on in Eng
lands own possessions in Africa. ON
the outgoing steamer was IL newly an
pointed British Vice Consul, who tall1-
ca freely concerning the Intentions of
his government. Amongst the rasscn-
gers was a missionary. who expressed
some anxiety with regard to the forth
mission which had been appointed tu
Investigate the kongo conditions In
reply tho Nirr Consul bluntly declared:
at makes no difference when tho re-
port appears. 1t makes no difference
IT 1T never appears. Tho British gov
crnrcnt has decided on it's course of
action. and II will not be influenced by
what the commissions report may con-
tain" The same sentiment was OK
pressed by another Englisllman whom
Prot. Starr met on tho vessel return
ing from Antwerp. He knew that the
professor had been in the Kongo, and
in ono of their conversations Inc, said:
"of course the Bclgians will lose tl,c
kong". We have got to have it, We
must build the Cape to Cairo road. Yo,l
know VIC wanted the Trnnsvaal. We
found 1; way to get II, aud VIC have IL;
SO, too, VIC will find some way to get
the kongo." The declarations of these
Two f;ngllshnien were characteristics
ally Br1tish-blunt. ana brutal. rccog-
nizinE no higher code of morals than
might makes right" This, then, Is
the ncfarious scheme in which Icnr
land is cndcavnring to involve us, ami
with every appearance of success.
Only the other day it was given out
that our government would not consent
TO the transfer of the Knngo by Leo
p"ld to the Kingdom Of Belgium un-
less certain satisfactory assurances
were given. England had previously
proclaimed hcr dissent, and the chv-
alric government at Washington
chimes in inc tool"
1t is only Of lutc-sinrc the CONNER
cial fmportuncc Of the Kongo has been
cstab)ishcd-tha "thc interests or l,,-
manity" have appealed so strongly To
england. "Twrnty years ago" says
Capt Duqucsnc. Britain refused tn
interest herself in the kongo even
when asked. She snccrrd mt tho s,,g-
gcstion OF taking an interest in the
plague spot Of the earth. All! but
what a change has spread across the
c"unt"nancc of gentle Britannia. Now
that the kongo Is assured Of economic
prosperity the sheer has given place
to a. look Of avarlciOus jealousy. BEL
GUM has put all other European col
onists Of Africa to shame. Millions
have been spent in dredging rivers,
cleaning forests, blasting mountains,
building railways and draining great
swamps. Thousands Of lives were sac
rificed in the war against the relentless
Arab slave dealers. Millions have been
spent in fighting disease, and now that
tho kongo Is about to enter on an cr,
of prosperity Britain wants it,"
A few years ago the national free
bootcr" wanted Venezuela. The little
republic was weak and dcfenseless and
seemed an easy prey. but at that time
Il manly Americana Democrat thor
Oughly imbued with Democratic ideals
occupied the seat of Washington, ana
with Il stern command Mr. Cleveland
sent the British lion snarline aud