The more information we receive about the .Treaty, of Cession
for annexing the Congo to Belgium, the more un- satisfactory does the proposal seem. The Belgian Parlia- ment can adopt the Treaty or reject it, but it cannot =fiend it. The question, therefore, is whether, after a full examina- tion of the Treaty, it will be the duty of Great Britain to use her influence towards encouraging the Belgian people to accept a measure which will not only do more harm than good, but will perpetuate the harm. In other words, we shall have to decide before long whether the British policy of looking to annexation as a solution in itself can be honestly pursued. The financial clauses of the Treaty allow that profits are assumed from the trade of the whole colony which cannot possibly be realised unless the existing iniquitous exploitation of native labour is continued. If justice is done to the natives, Belgium will have to face a deficit on the administra- tion of the colony, and will have to pay, at all events for the present, a very large sum annually. We do not know whether the Belgian Government are prepared to do this, eyed if they can afford it. If they cannot, the sooner we learn the truth the better.
