Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-07
INDIAN NATIVES OF UPPER ANA.
zoN MADE SLAVES 1y RUBBER
CONCERN.
MEDIEVAL eARsARlTiES
IN TWENriETA CENTURY
Company Makes captives Of Natives
and Many Are Whipped to Death for
Observation-Disclosures Agent Sent
to Investigate Makes Report, Which
is Transmitted to Congress.

Washington, Feb. IA twentieth
century story Of Anglo-Saxon exploita- :
ton Of South American Indians, ri
valling as narrative OF heartless
cruelty tales which have come down
from the old Spanish captains, was
laid bare today in a special state de-
partment report which President Taft
transmitted TO congress. The present
day victims Of medieval system OF
barbarous 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 WELD
ed by the Peruvian Amazon Company.
an English concern which works the
rubber fields in the upper Amazon
country.
Little Hope Of 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 Peruvian gov
ernment, and Stuart ]. Fuller. Amer
,ican consul at Iquitos. Peru. who
made the investigation, finds that the
stravesty on justice which exists in the
rubber section Is entirely In the hands
of the rubber com pany's section chletS.
1t is the Putumayo country's remote
ness from the Peruvian capital. from
all governmental authority that has
left the native entirely at the mercy OF
the company. according to the report.
The Andes form an almost impossible
barrier to the westward, while, to
reach the outside world thru the Allan
tic 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
of appeal or redress. the Indians were
held at the n1ercyyof the ccmpany's
overseerss. When they failed to bring
in toll sufficient to satisfy the de-
mands of the overseers. aogging, mu-
tilation, and sometimes death followed
it is asserted. Several Of the overseers
are declared to have admitted that they
had; put Indians and even white la.
borers in stocks for minor offenses.
Many Of the Indians whom Mr.. Fuller
saw bore scars Of dotgings and other
maltreatment.
System Of Peonase Exists.
Mr.. Fuller found that the labor Of
the Indians is secured by system of
peonage based on advance Of mer-
chandise. Altho payment is made for
this labor, it is declared to be nothing
more or less than forced labor. The
tenn mptation to abuse is imminent and
strong, especially since the white staff
is offered a bonus for vigilance. He
%1,ot
ing 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.
Altho 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 abb
sent, Mr.. Fuller is OF the opinion that,
should the rubber corporation cease its
activities. the Indians would fall to no
better lot at the hands of free -booting
expeditions and slave raiders.
Business Rests on Slavery.
Mr.. Fuller finds that ancient, deep
rooted attitude of the while population
towar dthe Indian is a formidable OBJ
stacle to be overcome in any solution
of thep roblem presented. While pro-
Tossing not to approve cruel ana IN
human treatment the whiles 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 con-
create expressions in the universal
system of pconage, an old institution,
which Mr. Fuller found, we'll estab-
lished, recognized by law and the basis
uDon which the rubber business almost
entirel yrests.
Indians Fettcr.d by Debt.
Debt is declared to have been the
chain with which the Indian has been
fettered BY being encouraged to bug
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,t the person of the debtor
bein transferred to the new creditor,
the Indians and their families really
are bought and sold. Families pass on
indebtedness from generation to gem
Grafton While Mr.. Fuller found eVl-
dence that the company had mended
it's ways to some extent ne saw hiucil
evidence that cruelties
still are practiced.
/ Fuller Spied Upon.
All the while that Consul Fuller was
attempting to get at the facts In the
rubber field situation, 1t is declared.
his steps were dogged by the com
pany's agents. making it difficult for
him to obtain any information but such
as it was desired he should procure.
The Indians, who were friendly enough
and willing to talk thru an interpreter,
are said to have covered and lapsed
into silence whenever the vigilant over
seerse approached.
Altho 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 thru the efforts of
President Billinghurst, who, since he