| Show C ISTRATI f fI I fR SH H 1 I IIi Ii IiI I r r Leopolds Government Says Brit British BritIsh ish Consul Falls Fails to Give Names or Places I IS AN UNFAIR WAY OF ATTACK Note Refutes All the Points Of the Charges oDd and Shows a Dif mf Different ferent Side of the Case Cose B i I April I In view of ot the tho thoI recant re n charges made mado against the admin administration I of ot tho Congo Free State the Associated Press Pren cabled to King Ing Leo Leopold paM asking for Cor lilu side of ot the case caSo caseIn In reply I Vly a 0 number of ot docu documents documents ments been forwarded by b mull and In addition tho Congo Slate ban haR 1 cabled ll authority to James 4 to KM Irh tho iho following of tho note nOlt which baR lias been Issued In reply to Iho tha charges chorges made In tho recent report of at tho con consul sul Tho note after Itter taking up ono or two minor details of ot the h consuls report proceeds to consider tho main point of or criticism which Is la laJ tho UIO treatment of or the tho native population I J by tho Congo authorities Ihl Tho rhO ton con Huls report port contains a 1 number of ot sto eto J rles of at cruel told him by b the tho native which for lor tho most part are j valueless nH evidence on account of JI tho fact that he ho did mt not Investigate ato them or obtain corroborative Although bill liln charges aro oro of ot a 1 t most mORl nature In tn tho th majority of ot casell ho bo hAil failed to give HIo tho I names or 01 places This seeing an nil Tin 11 fair of or attack as OR It Riven GIeR tho J Congo state no opportunity to disprove A i tho desertions 11 Ono One cane COR however the tho con can connul cank k nul and which ho given gheR an liB ana a 1 most flagrant example 01 brought brou ht f to tho of ot tho Congo authorities ties and was 18 Investigated by hy them themI I This Is the tho casu of ot the thc boy hoy I i I who claimed Unit his left lett hand had In been cut oft art by a II In the of or Lu Ln Hubber company i Tho rho consul I by hy two nils lB went to the tho of ot HOB Hos HosI and proceeded to an 1111 fal I Impromptu court of Inquiry Tho In III Injured boy accused tho sentry lelen If TO 0 to his face The Tho con ul then thell inies 1 tho chief a 1 number of tho mOil men They replied 11 by accusing the sentry Most loAt of or them declared hilt they the had been lIeen of ofa a the tho deed The Tho consul nuked whether I thero wore nil mora nil all present 10 nl shouted with ono OUO voice olce that HI 1 It Il wan waft el who did It Il IlI sli I The liTho accused sentry denied the charge Other natives camo forward 1 W with th various charnes of ot robbery mid wrongdoing against tho III 11 r III finally tho consul considering the 01 j I conclusive announced to the an n nf f i that j mont for his cruel and Illegal nets taking with him the tho maimed boy ho laid lall i tho n o tho state authorities lil dramatically that he denounced V an Individual 1111 but hul a n system I 1 fw loll It would bo ho to 10 draw drawf f 41 nuch a 1 conclusion from a II ln f t j I case oven oen If It tho case were well wellI wollI i of or net fact tho thoI I founded but us nH i 1 matter I of ot tho Hen Mell MellI I try tl were wro shown to bo 10 without tin tint r t foundation whatever When Whon the tho prop 1011 i 1 T r state authorities como to i the C 1180 HO the tho boys broke broko down dOlI I Ho admitted that ho hud had lied lIell ox 0 that he lost Ills his hand In a n If i III hunt When Whon asked lI kOlI why wh ho hAil Imd hAilI I falsely accused tho Iho sentry hf hI Bald that he lind hlll don dona it at It the Instigation In ot I tho ot tho district who hoped hope II thus to secure the Intervention of ot tho tha British consul and a II release from the necessity of ot gathering rubber Most of ot the tho natives who had accused the fen fentry try before the consul took to the tha woods Those who were caught admitted Hint they had given ghen false testimony Other witnesses who were called tho boys bots confession that his had hod been lost In a n bear hunt The Thc case raso of ot la Is rented nt III great greot length In the Brussels note on account of ot tho fact that tho British consul trusting In the statements lundo by Iy the natives and not waiting for the thu judicial Inquiry has put forward thin casu as most damning proof against the tho Congo Cono state It 11 Is 18 the tho one case which he had thought ho ha hud had Investigated thoroughly thorough In response to the tho British consuls criticism on tho work required of or the natives bv the way ot or tax lax the noto points out that It Is IB a n necessary tax which compels the tho native to con can contribute tribute something to the support of ot tho statu and which also Alao teaches him of Industry Even Een the tho British govern goern government ment demands such a 1 tax In labor lobor or In kind In Its Ity African possessions It should bo be remarked that In tho district over which tho company known as IS the A B D I IV It exercises away the tho British consul could not find ot cruelty to the tho commercial agents und and yet the A B 11 I II n Is ono no of those concession companies which aro oro accused of ot bringing disaster upon tho native community This company compan Ilka the tho other rubber companies employs a t number of ot forest guards whoso duty It Is to superintend the gathering Blithering of at rubber to seo that tho natives perform the work properly onet onetto to caro that tho vines Inos aro nrc not In Injured Injured Tho rho consul endeavors without justification to represent ent them as agents 8 of ot oppression Ills His prejudice In hI tho matter may bo seen In III his attempt to RIo tho Impression that there thero are area a 1 great number of ot those sentries be because cause ho had seen a I IlIn un marked Depot 2210 ZIno This Thill Is III a n somewhat hasty deduc deduction tion t Oil for tor tho mark In III la 18 not used either by the tho state or by b the tho com am company pany but seems to bo be merely merel the mark of tho factory In III which tho gun was made Tho rho Brussels note refutes refuteR nil all th points of ot tho British consuls report and unet Is a 1 most convincing testimony to tho humanitarian work which King Kin Leopold has hils accomplished In hI Africa |
