ABSTRACT
IT is a little surprising to find that M. Cattier, the Belgian Imperialist, whose masterly indictment of King Leopold's administration does him infinite honour, should attempt to defend, not the outcome of the system of the Domaine Price in the shape of compulsory military service for twelve years, forced labour in Government plantations, &c., all of which he condemns, but the legality of the system itself. He states his case as follows, Article V. of the Berlin Act, which forbade monopoly and privilege in the Congo Basin in matters of trade, was meant to apply internationally, and the Congo State was thereby bound not to grant commercial advantages to the subjects of anyone nation which it denied to the subjects of another nation. M. Cattier says:
It follows, therefore, according to M. Cattier, that in attributing to himself all vacant lands in the Congo Basin, from which action arose the Domaine Priue, and in farming out portions of the Domaine Priue to his financial friends, upon whom he has conferred an absolute monopoly of exploitation in the regions affected, the Sovereign of the Congo State has not violated the Act of Berlin; although M. Cattier
admits that by so doing he has committed II a violation of the rights of the natives."
