Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-07
REFORMS IN THE KONGO.
Attitude of the United States One Of
Benevolent announcement.

The question arising out OF the Bel
CLAN annexation Of the Independent
State Of the Kongo, which has so long
and earnestly preoccupied the atten-
ton of this government and enlisted
the sympathy of our best citizens, Is
still open, but In more hopeful stage
This government was among the fore
most in the great work Of uplifting
the uncivilized regions OF Africa and
urging the extension Of the benefits of
civilization, education and fruitful
open commerce to that vast domain
and is a party to treaty engagements
OF all the interested powers designed
to carry out that great duty to human
ity The way to better the original
and adventurous conditions, so bur-
denSome to the natives and so de
structiye to their development, has
been pointed out, by observation and
experience, not alone of American rep
resentatives, but by cumulative evil
dence from all quarters and by the in
vestigations of Belgian agents. The
announced programs of reforms.
striking at many Of the evils knows
TO exist, are an augury of better
things. The attitude of the United
States is one of benevolent encourage
ment coupled with a hopeful trust
that the good work, responsibly under
taken and zealously perfected to the
accomplishment of the results so
ardentIy desired, viii soon justify the
wisdom that inspires them and satisfy
the demands OF humane sentiment
throughout the world.
German Patents.
A convention between the United
States and Germany. under which the
nonworking provisions of the German
patent law are made inapplicable to
the patents of American citizens, was
concluded on Feb. %, 1909, and is now
in force Negotiations for similar con-
ventions looking to the placing Of
American inventors on the sSAe foot
ing as nationals have recently been
initiated with other European govern
ments whose laws require the local
working Of foreign patents.
Under an appropriation made at the
last session of the congress a commits
sion was sent on American cruisers
to Monrovia to investigate the interests
of the United States and its citizens in
Liberia. Upon its arrival at Monrovia
the commission was enthusiastically
received and during its stay in Ii
IBERIA was everywhere met with the
heartiest expressions of good will for
the American government and people,
and the hope was repeatedly expressed
on all sides that this government
might see it's way clear to do some
thing to relieve the critical position of
the republic arising in a measure from
external as well as internal and flnan-
cial embarrassments.
The Liberian government afforded
every facility to the commission for
ascertaining the true state of affairs.
The commission also had conferences
with representative citizens, interest
ed foreigners and the representatives
of foreign governments In Monrovia.
Visits were made to various parts Of
the republic and to the neighboring
British colony of Sierra Leone, where
the commission was received by and
conferred with the governor.
Helping Liberia.
1t will be remembered that the in
terest of the United States in the re
public of Liberia springs from the his
tor;cal fact of the foundation of the
republic by the colonization of Ameri-
can citizens of the African race. In
an early treaty with Liberia there is
provision under which the United
States may be called upon for advice
or assistance Pursuant to this provi-
sion and in the spirit of the moral re-
lationship of the United States to
Liberia that republic last year asked
this government to lend assistance in
the solution of certain of their national
problems, and hence the commission
was sent
The report of our commissioners has
just been completed and is now under
examination by the department OF
state. 1t is hoped that there may re-
suit some helpful measures, in which
case it may be my duty again to invite
your attention to this subject.
The Norwegian government, by a
note addressed on Jan. 90, 1909, to the
of state. conveyed an invi-
tation to the government of the United
States to take part In a conference
which 1t is understood will be held in
pose of devising means to remedy ex-
listing conditions in the Spitzbergen
islands.
This invitation was conveyed under
the reservation that the question OF
altering the status of the islands as
countries belonging to no particular
state and as equally open to the citi-
zens and subjects of all states should
not be raised.
The European powers invited to this
conference by the government of Nor
way were Belgium, Denmark, France,
Germany, Great Britain. Russia, Swe-
den and the Netherlands.
The department of state, in view of
proofs fled with it in 1905, showing
the American possession, occupation
and working of certain coal bearing
lands in Spitzbergen, accepted the in
vftation under the reservation above
stated and under the further reserva-
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