Riches In The Congo

Henry M. Stanley expressed his yiews to me on the emigration of the American negro to the Congo Free State, the opportunitie8 that are there for him, and the development of that country. "1 am familiar," he said, "with the fact that Senator Butler, of South Carolina, made a proposition to the United States government that the American negroes be deported to the Congo Free State, but that is a matter that must be taken careof by the negroes themselves." 'What advantages would accrue to the negroes if they should emigrate to that country in large numbers?" "The advantages would be many. Thcre ia any aniount of land to be had for the asking; the laws are favorable and calculated to promote happiness and content; the climate for the negroes is i'.omparatively healthy; the soil is fertüe )nd the country new, so that the slightist cultivation cannot fail tobe f olio wed by the most gratifying resnlts. In these facts lie the advantages that would follow for the' emigrating negroes. Value at the same time must be given to the fact that they would become residente of their native land. Whites - tbat is, the Caucasian race - cannot colonize the Congo Free State. "A white man while living in the Congo valley three years would expend ten years of vitality and the white woman could not retain health. The result of this would be children of puny frames and inferior intelligence. It would have the effect of forever keeping the Congo Free State in a condition of inconsequence among the nations of the world. With negroes forming the majority of its citizenship it would, with proper encouragement, make remarkable development and in time become a great nation." FORWARD OR BACKWARD. 'Is there any possibility, if the American negro should go to África, that he would, becanse of contact with the savages, retrograde from a condition of civilization; or, on the contrary, would his presence there have a beneficial influence upon the growth of civilization among the natives?" "That is very difficult to answer. The laws of the Congo Free State have been made with the thought of having a civilizing effect upon the savages. If the civilized blacks going into that country were developed morally, it is safe to say that their 'contact with the savages' would be happy. If , on the contrary, they were of degraded character, it would follow that they would deteriora.te, practice polygamy, etc." 'What obstacles would they have to overeóme before they would become colonista?" "No very great obstacles wonld present themselves. Sheep, goats and cattle are of prolific growth, and the rivera teem with fish, and to be successful it vrould only need that the colonists should show that kind of expression of industry that deserves snccess. The emigrant should remember, thongh, that he ia going to a land where desirable resulta iré to be secured only after toil, and that, while nature is lavish in her gifts, pet bread would have to be earned literilly with the sweat of the brow." "Would they have any share in the conduct of government, the making and the executing of laws, etc. , or would the whites attempt to domínate themí"' "At present the Congo Free State's government is entirely in the hands of the whites, but in my opinión, I think if any black man proved his capacity he would receive all that any could expect Governor Janson had a Lagos negro as his secretary and he was an able man. He enjoyed much power in the colony. No, it would only be a question of the best material." OPPOETÜNTCTES. "Would you advise the American negroes to go to the Congo Free State? In act would you advise thern to emigrate to any part of África?" "This is a most delicate matter. I cannot advise the American negroes to go to the Congo Free State; it is a case where every individual must decide for himself. They should, however, not jump into something about which they have not been thoroughly advised. They Bhould not forget that as colonista in the new country of Congo land they would oot be settling down to repose in a bed of roses." "Do you think that a commercial correspondence between this country and the Congo is a possihüity?" "Yes; the lethargy of American merchants in this connection is not only remarkable, but it is also deplorable. The Congo Valley offers every encouragement to commercial exploit. it is in possible to estímate the value of its producís. For instance, rattan cane, which is growing scarce in the market, in África grows in unlimited quantities. Of course there have been many obstacíes to prevent the development of the Congo Valley trade, the moet important of which has been the cost of portage to place of shipment. "A railway is now in conree of con Itrnction, which, when completed, wil] remedy this evü, and those merchante who are now handioapped by the expense of transportaron will reap the benefits that must come as the sequence of their being on the gronnd. Americans seeni to be dead to these opportunities. They onght to be there now and cultivating Intde, so that when the railroad is in operation to bring the interior nearer the coast they will be in a situation to reap a fair share of the profits that must follow. The American merchants, though, will probably hold back nntil too late, and not enter into commercial work in this direction until the cream of the trade has been e-athrprl hv other