THE FATE OF THE CONGO.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 35, 10 February 1909, Page 4

THE FATE OF THE CONGO.

. In the .press of continental sensations .that have followed;eo rapidly upon one another during th&' yiar, the question of the Congo Free' State and its government , seems for the time to have d|iltei4jieyond tii - itociis of jiublic attention*.,, But our cables to-day remind us that the.status of this unfortunate country is not yeb definitely, settled, and that the fate of its hapless people still hanga in the .balance. Last year, as a tesuit pi the raised throughout the civilised world against the iniquities of the eystetri established in Congo Land by King Leopold, the Belgian people decided to take over the country and administer it ,for.'thamselTes. Leopold, •whose record! in Africa is that of an absolutely unscrupulous and unprincipled financial, adveuturer, refused to surrender his intereet in the Congo,. Free State except on the most extortionate terms; but tKe scandal raised .by the report of the 'King's own Koyal Commiseion had so injured the reputation of Belgium that the Government was prepared to make any practicable sacrifice rather than let matters drift further. But, unfortunately, Belgium is not a rich country, and it is impossible for the State to recoup itself for its expenditure ■in buying -out Leopold unless it maintains the system that he established in Congo Land. Not only Was this system based upon ruthless tyranny and Ijarbacous cruelty on the part of the Belgian administrators, but it violated the rights of the other Powers which, had delegated to Belgium the management, of the Congo State only on Condition that the natives were humanely treated arid that the commercial principle of the "Open.Door" should be impartially maintained. The Belgian people n<)w hive to' decide whether they wili forego' the bloodstained gains which Leopold;and .his servants. extorted from ■:the'., wretched or. defy public opinion, in .Europe arid America and perpetuate the iniquitous system which Leopold eet up for his own enrichment., and which hfts developed into one of the milt monstrous tyrannies that any part of the world has ever endured. Happily for the good, name of civilisation, England and America have determined that at all costs methods of government—under "which the miserable negroes ; were brutally treated,., or enslaved to swell the dividends King and his trading' companies—must be swept away *f 6t e^er ; and if Mr. Root joins with Sir Edward 'Grey to "bring pressure to bear .upon BelgiuHi,. we may yet "see Conge Xia.ftdl from the bloodstained despotism; ih : at has so long terrorized it, and some.reparation made to its ill-fated people fo.r'all that they have endured at Leopold's hands.