Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-29

A DISTINGUISHED VISITOR FROM TIE AFRICAN RE-
PUBLICAN INTERVIEW WITH AN AFRICAN DrPLo-
MAT AND COLLEGE PRKsIpENT-wHAr HE HAS TO
SAY ABOUT THE CONDITION OF HIS CouNTRY-oP-
PoRTuNITTEs FOR CoLoNIsTs, ETC.
Prof. Edwin w. Blyden. citizen OF Liberia. and
president of a college In Monrovia the capital of
that republic, and also minister from his country
to England, is In this country on an invitation
from the American Colonization Society and also
In the interest OF his college. A STAR reporter
called on Prof. Blyden few days SINCE at the
house of Mr.. /. n. Cary, marshal of the Police
Court, and found him busy writing articles for
some English magazine, to which he contributes
largely. He Is a colored man, of a rather dark
Ing, is one OF the most learned colore men of the
age. he speaks and writes English, French. Span
Ism, Arabic, italian and several other languages
political and commercial interests of all the
principal nations. He was born In the Island OF
St Thomas, in the West Indies, and when a young
man emigrated to LIBERIA where he has resided for
30 years, he being now a years old. He wants to
endow his coilege-which is the only one in the
state-With $4,000, and he expresses great pleas
IRE at his success in getting liberal donations
and the iaer2st the intelligent colored people of
country, which is on the west coast Of Africa, and
which has 600 miles of sea coast and vast
amount OF territory, has about 100000 inhabi
rest natives There are
ONLY FIVE WHITE MEN
In the republic. and they are Germans. 81 can see
no reason, i" he went on to say, ''why colored men
OF capital in this country could not reap the ad-
van tages Of that country which large II not OF
greatvariety. A colored man OF capitalln New York
has determined to commence an enterprise of this
kind, and a company In New orleans are looking
10 establishing trade between the United States
ana Liberia Our principal articles Of export a re
palm Oil, rubber, hide ivory, corn-wood gum copal
coHee and ginger and our trade is principally
ried on between Liverpool, Hamburg. Rotterdam
ana france think the colored people as whole
han fhnxa In hIc
country, for every colOred man who comes to
Ihe country gets ten acres OF land, and IL
married he gets IS acres, which is adapted to the
conee ana sugar culture, and as he finds Already
marked for the products of his farm, If he is enter
prislng, he can do well. Emigrants from North
CdTolina ana other southern states of your coun-
Try nave built up trades In these articles and are
now making comfortable livings- People who go
there from any country don't lose any OF their
rights as citizens, because the government is
modelled after that OF the United States-one diff
erehce Delng that we elect our president for only
TWO years and we have
NO SUPERSTITION AGAINST THE ''THIRD TERM"
some OF them being elected for the fourth term
see a great many able bodied coIored men here
VINO don't seem to have anything to do but roam
idly around your streets, and understand there
are great many colored people who are In
condition here that, ! think, would be consldera-
bly, improved In Libefia, for they could all find
something to do, and the country affords broad
field, particularly for young men of ability"
Pror. Blyden stated that they receive through
the ColoniZatton Society about three hundred col
onlStS year, who make good citizens, and seem
10 be happy. When questioned about the educa-
tlonal facilities OF the country, he Sad with some
pride, that they had a system OF public schools
primary, secondary, intermediate, and a high
School-whch were supported at public expense.
There are also about SO students in the college
lie stated that the people took admirable inter
eSt IN education and were anxious to have their
children educated. Two graduates OF Howard
University here have accepted prOfessorshps In
ms college and are going to accompany him to
a nhprn fy rnplpr Iol
talent In this city have expressed their willing
ness TO go there to teach the public schools. The
country has TWO political parties-the republicans
ana wings. Under the law OF the country white
man cannot become a land owner, he says; but
11ve white men In the state evaded this law by
marrying natives and thereby becoming free
holders through their wives He Stated that soci-
ally and every way his country Is a great deal like
lnlS, ana the people live pretty much the same.
tie SAID his country was in a 1OuriShng condition,
ana what 1t most needed at present was people to
I'LL the vast number Of idle acres OF land.