File No. 855a.00/670.

Minister Bryan to the Secretary of State.

No. 23.]

Sir: Referring to my No. 15 of March 18, in relation to law as affecting the Kongo, I have the honor to report that the following decrees, under date of March 22, 1910, have been issued:

I.
Withdrawal of the Katanga executive grant.—This executive grant was accorded to the special committee of the Katanga by the decree of December 6, 1900. It will be canceled September 1, 1910. The new decree is based on article 22 of the charter, naming January 1, 1912, as the latest date for the withdrawal of the grant. As announced, however, on several occasions, the Government does not intend to wait until this date and will immediately proceed to reorganize the administration of the Katanga.
II.
Facilitating of free trade.—(a) To entirely throw open to trade in July, 1910, about one-half of the Kongo, and the remainder of the territory in the months of July [Page 688] of 1911 and 1912. (The official map of these regions is announced for publication shortly.)
(b) Alter a date to be eventually determined upon anyone (natives included) paying the license tax or occupying an establishment subjected to the three rates of personal taxation shall be permitted to harvest or to have harvested vegetables products on Government land. The only condition shall be the possession of a permit gratuitous in principle. For the harvesting of rubber and copal a special permit will be required, its delivery being subjected to a tax of 250 francs. Of natives who do not export directly the harvested products such a permit will not be required. They shall be entitled to harvest and sell the products, either to one another or to the factories established in the colony.
III.
Revision of the fiscal rubber régime.—The so-called supplementary tax now levied on exportation, the license, and domanial taxes are to be abolished. A single tax is substituted, amounting to 75 centimes per kilogram of rubber extracted from trees or plants and 50 centimes per kilogram of rubber extracted from herbs. The present tax is thus to be increased by 50 centimes on rubber from trees and plants, which is at present subjected only to the supplementary tax, and increased by 25 centimes on rubber paying at present both the domanial and the supplementary taxes.
IV.
All nonnatives intending to remain on the territory of the Belgian Kongo for a period exceeding 15 days shall be required to register within six days of the date of their entry and to see to the registration of all members of their family or of their party who are nonnatives. The competent authorities shall be notified within eight days of all changes of residence of nonnatives.
V.
The territory of the Belgian Kongo is divided into the 12 following districts:
1.
Lower Kongo; capital, Boma.
2.
Middle Kongo; capital, Leopoldville.
3.
Lake Leopold II; capital, Inongo.
4.
Equator; capital, Coquilhatville.
5.
Bangala; capital, New Antwerp.
6.
Ubangi; capital, Libenge.
7.
Uele; capital, Niangara.
8.
Aruwimi; capital, Basoko.
9.
Stanleyville; capital, Stanleyville.
10.
Katanga; capital, Kambove.
11.
Kasai; capital, Lusambo.
12.
Kwango; capital, Popokabaka.

Besides the aforenamed decrees another of March 22 1910, provides for the payment of license taxes by any persons having no permanent establishment in the Kongo and thereby not paying the personal tax. In order to be admitted to trade in the Kongo such persons have to be furnished with a license costing—1,500 francs, if the trade includes the purchase or the sale of rubber, copal, or ivory; 2,500 francs, if the trade includes the sale, on board of ships at anchor in the Lower Kongo, of other merchandise than mouth provisions; 3,200 francs in all other cases.

This decree is probably aimed at peddlers from the neighboring German, English, and Portuguese colonies and can not, I think, affect traveling salesmen from our own and neighboring countries.

I have, etc.,

Charles Page Bryan.