tax in money and it is
possible to raise enough revenue without selling him alcohol.

As has been shown in these pages, the native is very grasping and very
idle and has little idea at present of the value either of produce or
work. He thus charges an extortionate amount for his goats and chickens,
and demands heavy fees for services rendered. The State however, fixes
the price of labour and food at its fair value and demands a certain
amount of one or other from each village. This sometimes leads to
discontent and rebellion just as do the taxes levied by other
Governments, and it is necessary to occupy territory with troops. No
soldier however, is allowed to have in his possession a rifle unless he
is accompanied by a white officer, and if he tries to ill-treat the
natives, is severely punished.

The officials themselves, are subjected to the most severe discipline,
and as they exist, so to speak, on the rungs of a ladder, each one can
be punished by the one next above him, who is, in turn, responsible,
until at length the summit is reached. Every Post is worked on identical
principles and the responsibility for its success or failure, rests with
the official in charge. He is not permitted to try experiments or to
alter the system in the least degree, and can only use his moral power
to influence the natives. The question has been asked whether this
system is not contrary to the letter or spirit of the Treaty of 1885.
Clause V. of that treaty runs as follows. "No Power which exercises or
may exercise sovereign rights in the above mentioned regions shall be
allowed to grant therein either monopoly or privilege of any kind in
commercial matters; foreigners without distinction shall enjoy
protection of their persons and goods as well as the right of acquiring
and transferring moveable and immoveable property and the same treatment
and rights as subjects of the nation in the exercise of their
professions."

In the first place it must be remembered that the Berlin Act applies to
all the Powers possessing territory in the Congo basin and not to the
Free State particularly, and secondly, that it was agreed upon by the
Powers to prohibit monopolies and privileges in commercial matters and
to suppress slavery, but not to interfere with the Government of the
States or Colonies which were then or might be established and which
might or might not sign the treaty. All the Powers indeed which signed
the Act of Berlin of 1885 did