The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-02-13
MED|AEvAL TACTICS
EMPLOYED TODAY
TORTURE AND FLoG INDIANS TO
DEATH IN PERU RUBBER
FIELDS BY OvERsEERS.
RIVALS SPANISH CRuELTIES
English Company Held to Blame
Startling Tale Of Oppression Is
Told in Report Sent
Congress.
RIVALS SPANISH CRUELTIES

| Washington, Feb. 8.-A twentieth
century story of Anglo-Saxon exploita-
ton of South American Indians, rival
ing as narrative of hearless cruelty
tales which have come down from the
old Spanish captains, was laid bare in
a special state department report
which President Taft transmitted to
congress. The present-day victims of
medical system of barbarious op-
preston are the Indian tribes of the
Putumayo district in Peru. It is
shown in the report that these help
less people have been driven to their
death before the lash welded by
the Peruvian Amazon company, an
English concern which works the rub
Der fields in the upper Amazon coun-
try.
Little Hope For Relief.
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 the Peruvian
government, and Stuart J. Fuller.
American consul at Iquitos, Peru, who
made the investigation, finds that the
travesty on justice which exists in
the rubber section is entirely in the
hands of the rubber company's sec.
ton chiefs. tt is the Putumayo coun-
try's remoteness from the Peruvian
capital, from all governmental author
ity, that has left the natives entirely
at the mercy of the company, accord.
ing to the report. The Andes form an
almost 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 are worthy
of the name.
IN this far-aWay corner, with no
means OF appeal or redress, the In.
dams were held at the mercy of the
company's overseers. When thew
failed to bring in toll sufficient to
satisfy the demands of the overseers.
logging, mutilation, and sometimes
death followed, it is asserted. Several
OF the overseers are declared to have
admitted that they had put Indians
and even white laborers in stocks for
minor offenses. Many of the Indians
whom Mr.. Fuller saw, bore scars of
nogglngs and other maltreatment.
System Of Peonage.
Mr.. Fuller found that the labor of
the Indians is secured by system of
peonage based on advance of mer.
chandise. Although payment is made
for this labor, it is declared to be
nothing more nor less than forced
labor. The temptation to abuse is i'm
mlnent and strong, especially since
the white staff is offered bonus for
vigilance. He reaches the conclusion
that, considering the remoteness of
the country and the poor quality of
the rubber, it is unlikely to make the
enterprise pay without hard treatment
of the Indians. Although large num-
bers of the Indians have been killed.
and some have escaped into the South
American jungle, the output of rubber
has increased despite the decrease
in native population. With govern
ment machinery absent, Mr.. Fuller is
of the opinion that, should the rub
Der corporation cease it's activities.
the Indians would fall to no better
lot at the hands of freebooting expe-
ditions and slave raiders.
indians Tortured and Slain.
1t was the disclosures made in Sir
Rogers report that Influenced the
state department to order the investi-
cation which Consul Fuller now re.
ports. Sir Roger found that among
other things the Peruvian Amazon
imported 200 Barbados men,
who, upon their arrival in the rubber
were armed with Winchester
rifles and sent into the jungle to cap
ture and enslave Indians dwelling
along the upper Amazon tributaries.