Belgian ) Congo 107 GENERAL REMARKS Relief from the excessive tasks and oppression of the old regime have encouraged a spirit of insolent disregard for the white population, which has been as unfavourably commented on by British consular officers 1 as by Belgians.

The remedy for this state of things is not at all simple . It is easy enough to suggest that the procedure of Ger many in East Africa or in Samoa should be followed, and that the Government should instruct the chiefs to secure that so many rubber trees should be planted ; but the suggestion is open to the fatal objection that the whole root of the evils which prevailed in the Independent State was precisely the application of the principle of compulsory labour, and that no British Government could approve it. It is of course perfectly true that the aim of the policy would be to benefit the native, but it is equally certain that it could not be carried · into effect without reintroducing all the evils of quasi slavery.

It remains, therefore, to adopt a policy similar to that of the British on the west coast of Africa, and to find means of inducing the natives to work in a legitimate manner by encouraging them to become anxious to attain a higher standard of comfort, and to advance in the scale of civilization . This end is undoubtedly fostered by the opening up of the country by railways and other means of communication, and doubtless a good deal can be done by other means. Of these, one of the most effective is the providing of work on regular wages, as is done by the Lever Company, the native thus easily earning enough to pay the native tax , and, owing to free competition, being able to acquire goods at prices which bear some reasonable relation to the actual cost of production , instead of, as formerly, paying a wholly fanciful price estimated in produce. By this means 1 See e.g. Cd . 6606, pp . 10, 11 , 54, 56.