THE CONGO FREE STATE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 7 February 1907, Page 3

THE CONGO FREE STATE

The Congo Freo State will aimosl certainly he the subject of another inlernationa! convention in the near future, and in view of the position special interest attaches to a recent pronouncement from iSir 3'idward (irey, British Minister of Foreign Affairs Sir Kdward, in replying to an iniluentian deputation, .said that lie did not propose to enter into the familiar and painful history of the Congo. "What nan stirred thy feeling in this country,'' he continued, "is. of course, the contrast between the hope* and pro fessions with which the State was founded and tlie state of lhing« uhieh now exist-. The State was reeugni.-"d liy tlie Powers in tlie belie! that they i,were sinctioning tire introduction into 'tin- centre of Africa of a humane and vivi : Uing influence, which would open a va-i a tract ol' country to trad-, and whciv there would be equal opp <rliuui|fir> lo .everybody. ire..- Jrom; international rivalry and jealousy. II that had be.-u mi we should have had the Congo Slate providing for the mo rai an<l material development of the country, collecting moderate taxe- lo vied fiir the administrative exp-n-e.;. and leaving trade to develop the natural resource-. In-dead of Mich a pie lure wi' i>ave the report- of tile Com-mi-don «»i Kmpiivv which has -a;ed the faeU of the Congo in at 'v.M an impartial spirit. I will not | en hi rg< 1 on w hat that report ha* been. It is enough to'.-ay that the eharac;er of it i- as to startle and .-iioek aii those wlu» believed that tne statement made in this country were lictilioni or inspired by malice or want of impartiality/' After mentioning the dillieulti<s of the .situation, ?>ir 'Jidward <irev said that isolated action on the part of Jlriiain would be uxTlie present authority in the ' State would have to be replaced by a more ellieienl o:>e. but Britain desired • no extension of \w re-ponsibiilie- in that direction. 'lhe countries uio*t

iimur.iiatrly coiiernieil were. <>l cuiii'sr. ami Fianee. which nail a eonlincrnt riL'lit "f jiv rmption ovcrthr Cuiigii. awl lliiiain uoiil.l do nut hi t,, 'pr.liu.lire tin lr fights. f-'ir u.ird iii.tira.nl (Int.. in the opinion ol 11..' CoYiTlllHrill. tin- li.'lgiail (illVeMl-ni'-lil lo 11 in I.*l t;l k<' tile ta>h i.l i'ri.irin, aml if it t■ .ok tliat enuisr it would liavr thr cordial support of liri Th- a'lenial i\ r n- thr li-linra'. (.1 r an liilrniatiopal Coiiiaiia-.-ion of Kmpiivy.