The prospects of an equitable settlement of the Congo question
are growing steadily worse. On Monday a series of important amendments were brought forward at the sittings of the Parliamentary Commission appointed by the Belgian Government at the beginning of the year to study the terms of the Colonial Law. No vote appears to have been taken on those intended to secure respect for the rights of natives and moved by M. Beernaert ; but the important motion brought forward by M. Landsheere pro- posing that the Congo Budget should be submitted to the vote of the Chambers was rejected by 9 votes to 7, and the Government proposal, which stipulates that the Budget shall be revised by the King, was adopted by the same number of votes. Finance is the crucial factor of the Congo problem, and to leave the supreme control of the revenue and ex- penditure of the future Colony in the hands of the King is to maintain and perpetuate the worst features of the present system.
Previous page
