Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-08
Consul Fuller Reports to
State Department Find
ings in South American
Investigation of Indians.
ENGLISH COMPANY
PRACTICES PEONAGE
Natives Brutally Treated
and Herded Like Animals
by Cruel Overseers for
the Firm.

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century story Of Anglo Saxon exploita-
ton OF South American Indians, rival
Ing as narrative of heartless cruelty
tales which have come down from the
old Spanish captains, was laid bare
today In special state department
report which President Taft trans
mitted to congress. The present day
victims of medieval system Of bar.
barous oppression are the indian
tribes of the Putumayo district In
Peru. 1t is shown in the report that
these helpless people have been driv-
en- to their death before the lash
welded by the Peruvian Amazon Co.
an English concern which works the
rubber fields in the Upper Amazon
country. -#s s
Hold Out Little Hope.
Little hope for the relief OF the long
suffering Indians is held out in the re-
port for the Putumayo region Is re-
mote from the seat of Peruvian gov
ernment and Stuart j. Fuller. Ameri-
can consul at IquitOs, Peru who made
the investigation, finds that the tray-
esty on justice which exists in the
rubber section is entirely In the hands
q the rltvoer company Il sectiOns
iSA$tNA~S.%a=s<- 10 SAkCESI EOuutHYfB
remoteness from the Peruvian ca pftai.
/ from all governmental authority that
has left the natives entirely at the
mercy of the company, according to
the report. The Andes form an Al.
most impossible barrier to the west-
ward while to reach the outside world
through the Atlantic ocean. river craft
must traverse almost the entire $500
miles of the Amazon Railroads are
unknown and no highways exist
worthy of the name In this far away
corner, with no means or appeal or
| redress, the Indians were held at the
mercy of the company's oyerseers.
When they failed to bring In q toll suf. ,
fcient to satisfy the demands OF the
overseenS, fiogging mutilation, and
sometimes death followed, 1t Is az
serted. Several of the oyerseers are
declared to have admitted that they
mad put Indians and even white labor.
ers in stocks for minor offenses. Many
OF the Indians whom Mr.. Fuller saw.
bore scars OF floggings and other mai /.
treatment.
Use Peonaos Systems.
Mr. Fuller found that the labor &c
the Indians is secured by q system OF
peonage based on advance Of rnerchan-!
disc. Although payment Is made for
| this labor, 1t Is declared to be nothing
more nor less than forced labor. The
temptation to abuse Is imminent and
strong especially since the white stan
is offered bonus for vigilance. He
reaches the conclusion that, consider
Ing the remoteness Of the country and
! the poor quality of the rubber, It is un-
likely to make the% enterprise pay
without hard treatment Of the Indians.
Although large numbers Of the Indians
have been killed, and some have es-
capped into the South American jungle,
the output of rubber has increased
despite the decrease in native popula-
ton. With governmental machinery
absent, Mr.. Fuller. is Of the opinion
| that. should the rubber corporation
| cease it's activities. the Indians would
fall to no better lot at the hands OF
! freebooting expeditions and slave raid
| ers.
Race Prejudice Exists.
Mr. Fuller finds that ancient, deep
rooted attitude Of the white population
toward the Indian Is a formidable OBJ
stacle to be overcome in any solution
Of the problem presented. While pro-
Tossing not to approve cruel and in-
human treatment, the whites generally
regard the Indian as having been cre-
ated by providence for the use and
benefit of the superior race. This atti-
tude of the people has found concrete
expressions in the universal system Of
peonage, an old institution, which Mr..
Fuller found, well established. recog-
nized by law and the basis upon which
the rubber business almost entirely
rests. f
| Debt is declared to have been the
chain with which the India II 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 creditor.
the Indians and their families really
are bought and sold. Families pass on
| Indebtedness from generation to gener-s
alton. While Mr. Fuller found evidence
that the company had mended it's ways
to some extent, he saw much unques-
tionable evidence that cruelties still
are practiced.
Hinder tho lnvestig CATION.
! All the while that Consul Fuller was
attempting to get at the facts In the
rubber field situation. it is declared. his
steps were dogged by the company's
lagents, making it difficult for him to
l