Minister Wilson to the Secretary of State.
Brussels, April 24, 1908.
Sir: Since my No. 330, of April 17, there has been—on account of the adjournment of Parliament for the Easter holidays—only a single discussion of the Kongo question.
Mr. de Broxqueville (Catholic Right) spoke at length upon the commercial advantages of the Kongo. He referred to the large amount of private capital invested in the country and stated that eighty-five companies were at present engaged in developing the natural resources of the Kongo basin, and affirmed that their rights should be respected. He admitted that the payment of taxes in labor must continue until a circulating medium could be introduced, but said that it should be the aim of Belgium to change these conditions as soon as possible. He said that all the wealth of the colony would not justify the murder of a single man.
Mr. Bertrand (leader of the Socialist antiannexationists) made a vigorous speech accusing Mr. de Broxqueville and other defenders of the present régime of being personally interested in various Kongo companies. He asked, “What has the Kongo State done with its millions?: “What had works of embellishment to do with the [Page 572] Kongo?” He claimed that the annual deficit would be at least $3,000,000, and asserted that the stocks and shares belonging to the State, which were valued in December at $10,500,000, were now worth only $5,500,000, and that Belgian Government bonds had experienced a heavy fall in consequence of the prospect of annexation.
The Chamber resumed its sittings yesterday, but the debate on the annexation question was unimportant.
I have, etc.,