September 1, 1911.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



467 



The Free Belgian Congo. 



The follozving article, altliough not strictly ofiicial, is prac- 

 tically the Belgian government's reply to its many critics. That 

 much in their vast territory needed reforming they admit, -while 

 the completeness of the reforms accomplished and projected are 

 ■worthy of the highest praise. 



TWENTY years ago the native population of Central Africa 

 was outrageously decimated by Arab slavery, while the 

 coast tribes were poisoned by the alcohol of the white 

 traders. The late Congo Free State has valiantly— regardless of 

 cost — delivered them from these two plagues under which they 



Rubber Vines in the Congo. 



were perishing. But compelled, at it was, to accomplish with 

 insignificant resources a giant's task, forced to occupy at once 

 in all its vastness an immense territory — any part of which, left 

 unguarded, would have become the scene of international strife 

 — the State was forced by fate to put budget considerations fore- 

 most, But, not being backed by a metropolis, it was soon com- 

 pelled, in order to obtain the necessary means, to have recourse 

 to the natural exploitation of its territory, to collect rubber 

 directly or through commercial companies. But, when the 

 Congo became a Belgian colony, its metropolis being a rich coun- 

 try able to face the cost of organizing her new possession and 

 determined not to stint her resources there, Belgium set out to 

 modify a form of government which only the dire necessity of 

 existence had established and maintained ; Belgium, moreover, 

 being essentially an industrial and exporting country, has, unlike 

 the European countries, stood with England in its attachment 

 to the idea of liberty in the economic realm, as in all others. 

 Such have her ancient heritage and. her geographical position 

 made her, and such she remains from choice and of necessity. 

 The basis of the method of government is from now on "Free 



Trade backed by Free Labor." and thus it was proclaimed by 

 M. Tibbaut in his report on the first colonial budget. 



The working of the estates of the realm by monopoly is 

 totally abandoned. The native may now gather rubber freely. 

 1 le has not the slightest formality to fulfil, nor the slightest 



M.\p Showing the Congo Free State. 



tax to pay. He only has to observe the regulations issued wit?1 

 the object of preventing the destruction of the latex yielding 

 plants. He can sell the product of his labor to whom he likes, 

 and at tlie market price. On the other hand, tlie buyer — the 



L.^.NDOLPHIA OWAKItNslS. 



European or foreign trader— can settle on any tract not already 

 leased or granted, lie can buy from the native the rubber he has 

 collected; he can also collect rubber himself or have it collected 



