The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-02-08

ton of the problem presented. While
protesting not to approve cruel and
inhuman treatment, the whites gener-
ally regard the Indian as having been
created by Providence for the use and
benefit of the superior race. This at
titude of the people has found con-
crete expressions in the universal sys-
tenn of peonage, an old institution,
which Mr.. Fuller found we'll establish
ed, recognized by law and the basis
upon which the rubber business al
most entirely rests.
Debt is declared to have been the
chain with which the Indian has been
fettered. By being encouraged to buy
more imported goods than they could
ever hope to pay for, they have been
reduced to what Consul Fuller found
was virtually slavery. AS claims are
transferable, the person of the debtor
being transferred to the new creditors,
the Indians and their families really
are bought and sold. Families pass on
Indebtedness from generation to gen.
Grafton. While Mr.. Fuller found evil
dence that the company had mended
its ways to some extent, he saw much
unquestionable evidence that cruelties
still are practiced.
All the while that Consul Fuller
was attempting to get at the facts In
the rubber field situation, 1t is de-
clared, his steps were logged by the
company's agents, making 1t difficult
for him to obtain any information but
such as It was desired he should pro
cure. The Indians, who were friend
ly enough and willing to talk through
an interpreter, are said to have COW
cred and lspsed into silence whenever
the vigilant overseers approached.
Although the company against which
the charges OF cruelty are laid, still
is IN control of the Indians, Consul
Fuller hopes ultimately for mitigation
OF their suffering through the efforts
of President Billinghurst. who since
he assumed the leadership of the Per
uvian government, has shown by acts
and utterances that his policy would
be vigorous regarding the PutumayC
question. He believes that before Ions
drastic measures will be taken to enc
forever all forms of abuses committed
against the defenseless natives Of the
Putumayo, whom he found to be mo-
wild and untamable but mild, docile
inoffensive and childlike, as described
by Sir Roger Easement, British con
sui general at Rio de Janeiro, who in
vestigated the situation in 1910.
It was the disclosures made in Sil
Rogers report that influenced thu
state department to order the investi
walton which Consul Fuller now re
ports. Sir Roger found that amoni
other things the Peruvian Amazon
Company imported 200 Barbados mer
who upon their arrival in the rubbe
district. were armed with Wincheste
rifles and sent into the jungle to car
, ture and enslave Indians dwellin
= along the upper Amazon tributaries
The British consul found that in tn
exercise OF this illegal compulsior
: the Indians were murdered, flogge
and otherwise tortured, the compan,
) through its agents forcing the Bal
bados men actively to participate !
I, the atrocities in order to compel tn
] helpless natives to scour the forest
J. and bring in India rubber upon the
, backs from the remote districts. TIL
, Barbados men in turn complained {
g harsh treatment accorded them b
D agents higher up, who deprived thel
: OF food as a means to compel them
+ drive the Indians to further extreme
The entire plan Of operations SCENE
= to be based on a system OF oppressio
: from the highest to the humblest
3 the employ Of the company which
= declared to have welded always q