Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-02-13
ATROCITIES IN RUBBER
FIELD CAUSE SHUDDER
Modern Exploitation of Per
uvian Indians Rivals Med
ieval Barbarism.

Washington, Feb. 10-A goth century
story of Anglo-Saxon exploitation OF
South American Indians, rivaling as
Narrative of heartless cruelty. tales
which have come down from the old
Spanish captains. was laid bare today
in a special state department report
which President Taft transmitted to
congress. The present day victims OF
medieval system of barbarous OPP
preston are the Indian triEes of the
Putumayo district in Peru. 1t is shown
IN the report that these helpless peo-
pie have been driven to their death be-
fore the lash welded by the Peruvian
Amazon company, an English concern
which works the rubber fields in the
Upper Amazon country.
Little hope for the relief of the long
suffering Indians is held out in the re-
port for the Putumayo region is remote
from the seat of the Peruvian govern
ment 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 ct>.npany's section chiefs. 1t is
the Putumayo country's remoteness
from the Peruvian capital, from all
governmental authority that has left
the natives entirely at the mercy of
the company. according to the report.
In this far-away corner, with no
means of appeal or redress, the Indians
We're held at the mercy of the COM
pany's overseers. When they failed to
bring in a toll sufficient to satisfy the
demands of the overseers, logging
mutilation and sometimes death fol-
lowed, it is asserted. Several of the
overseers are declared to have admit
ted that theF had put Indians and even
white laborers. in stocks for minor
offenses: Many of the Indians whom
Mr.. Fuller saw, bore scars of foggings
and other maltreatment
Feonaee System.
Mr.. Fuller found that the labor of
the Indians is secured by a system OF
peonage based on advance of mer-
chandise. Although payment is made
for this labor, it is declared to be moth
ing more nor less than forced labor.
The temptation to abuse is imminent
and strong, especially since the white
staff is offered bonus for vigilance.
He reaches the conclusion that, con-
sidering the remoteness of the coun-
try and the poor quality Of the rubber,
it is unlikely to make the enterprise
pay without hard treatment of the In
dams. Although large numbers of the
Indians have been killed. and some
have escaped into the South American
jungle. the output of rubber has in
creased despite the decrease in native
population. With governmental ma
chinery absent. Mr.. Fuller is of the
opinion that. should the rubber corr
poration cease it's activities, the Indians
would fall to no better lot at the hands
of freebooting expeditions and slave
raiders.
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 aDDrONe cruel and IN
human treatment the white generally
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 concrete
expressions in the universal system of
neonage. an old institution. which Mr..
Fuller found. well established. recog-
pized bv law and the basis upon which
the rubber business almost entirely
vests