Minister Wilson to the Secretary of State.
Brussels, December 7, 1907.
Sir: I have the honor to report that the treaty signed on November 28 by the representatives of the Government of Belgium and, on the other hand, by the representatives of the Independent State of the Kongo was on December 3 laid before the Belgian House of Representatives, and was immediately referred by it to the special committee of seventeen, with instructions to examine the same in connection with the colonial law which this committee is now framing for submission to Parliament.
I inclose herewith three copies of a pamphlet containing the “Exposé des Motifs “of the ministry, and the treaty with the project of law for its adoption, and the provisional arrangement.
I also inclose an English translation of the three latter documents, and am outlining in what follows the substance of the “Exposé des Motifs.”
The minister opens his “Exposé des Motifs “by reference to the previous movements for the annexation of the Kongo to Belgium; gives the history in detail of the various projects for annexation, and the apparently insurmountable difficulties which had prevented a solution of the problem, placed before a democratic State like Belgium, of exercising a beneficent sovereignty over vast, undeveloped territories and millions of uncivilized people, in a manner which would meet the approval of international and domestic opinion.
The minister then goes on to say that however truthful these views may have been in the past, they are not applicable to the present situation; that Belgium is now fully equal to the task of governing the Kongo in such manner as will redound to the welfare of the native population, the development of the country, the prosperity of Belgium, and the approval of international opinion.
He then recalls and quotes at length from the report of the commission of inquiry appointed by the King in 1905 to investigate the conditions in the Kongo.
This report has been made the subject of former dispatches from this legation, and is doubtless in the possession of the department.
The minister states that the Government of the Kongo acted promptly upon the recommendations of the commission of inquiry, and gives specific instances of the reforms which had been carried out.
Attention is then called to the very interesting and remarkable report of the special representatives of Belgium who were designated to study all questions relating to the transfer of the Kongo sovereignty to Belgium.
This report deals with the economic, financial, and international situation, and also with the question of Crown Domain, or, as it is called, Foundations.
[Page 827]In the study made of the economic situation an examination is made of its real and personal assets. It finds that 170,000,000 francs ($34,000,000) have been invested in the country, and that the general trade in 1906 amounted to 106,483,058 francs ($21,290,000), of which 67,781,358 francs ($13,500,000) were exports and 29,700,700 francs ($5,900,000) were imports. Special trade amounted to 79,755,000 francs ($15,900,000), of which 58,278,000 francs ($11,600,000) were exports and 21,477,000 francs ($4,300,000) were imports.
The report then gives a summary of the organization and working of railway companies and of the proprietary corporations (Campagnie Bruxelloise pour le Commerce du Haut Kongo, Compagnie du Katanga, Société d’Agriculture et de Plantations au Congo, Compagnie Anversoise de Plantations du Lubefu, and American Congo Company) and the concessionary societies (Compagnie du Kasai, Compagnie du Katanga, Abir, Société Anversoise, Société d’Agriculture et de Plantations, Comptoir Commercial Congolais, Compagnie du Haut Congo, Société Equatoriale Congolaise, American Congo Company, Société Forestière et Minière, Union Minière du Haut Katanga, the Great Lakes Railway, the Railway from the Lower Congo to the Katanga, the Whitely Concession, and the Forkel Concession).
This part of the report is supposed to be a complete exposition of the workings of the economic organization.
Another part of the report deals with the international questions of boundaries and neutrality and the modifications of the fiscal system growing out of various treaties.
The assets of the Kongo State are found to be 120,000,000 francs ($24,000,000) and its liabilities 114,000,000 francs ($22,800,000).
The annual revenue resulting from proprietary concessions, bonds, stocks, etc., exceeds the liabilities, interest, and redemption charges by about 500,000 francs ($100,000).
The report sets forth that the Crown Domain, in common with the other territories subject to the sovereignty of the Independent State and to its laws, should, after annexation, be made subject to the sovereignty of Belgium and its laws.
The arrangements made in December, 1906, between the Kongo State and the Crown Domain will insure to Belgium—in the event of annexation—property valued at 29,000,000 francs ($5,800,000), which, however, will carry with it the obligation of providing for the erection of hospitals, schools, and churches, and carrying on hygienic and philanthropic works.
The treaty is accompanied by numerous annexes containing an inventory of the assets, liabilities, and engagements of the Kongo State. These have not yet been printed, as time is required for their examination and verification. They will eventually be transmitted to the department.
I have, etc.,