The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-06
COLONIZING LIBERIA.
What Is Being Done Toward Building Up
the African Republic.

Mr. William Coppnger consul general for
Liberia and secretary of the Colonization So
ciety leaves here in day or two for New \ ork
to superintend the work Of sending to Liberia
the regular semi annual colony of colored peo
pie Every spring and every fall this society,
formed over sixty years ago, sends small ship,
load of black men and women to the native land
of the African race. '''There is a great unrest
among the colOred people Of this country said
Mr. Coppinger, as he sat in the rooms
of the society in this city. Above
his head as he sat hung the portrait
of Henry Clay one Of the founders OF
the society. In the room adjoining were a mum
Der of portraits of the early supporters of the
association, among them the father of Mayor La
trobe OF Baltimore painted by himself at the
age of eightytwo. In the cabinets, with which
the room was lined, were samples of coffee and
cotton, and other articles of similar nature,
productions Of the colonists in Liberia. On
mantel, just beside him, stood photographs of
the Legislature and Supreme Court of Liberia,
all their members black The portrait of the
present President showed the face of an appar-
rently bright and intelligent black man. He is
a native of Liberia, said Mr. Coppinger, born
there of parents who were slaves in this country
he is a man of marked ability and successful
president. This is Rev. Dr. Blyden, he said,
pointing to the photograph of full blooded ne
gro He is the president of our college there
you know, man of thorough education and
ability"
you have some educational facilities in Lii
IBERIA, thenF
"Oh, yes, very good ones There are public
schools and by the laws of the republic all chill
dren of certain age required to attend school
a given time in each ear. Education is com
pulsory. Then there are higher grades of
schools, and the college, which cost 800 OOO and
is well equipped and well patronized The peo-
pie who 90 there appreciate very thoroughly the
value of education. In fact we do not take any
now who are not of this class. The number of
applicants is so great that we have opportunity
to select our people pretty carefully"
Are your applicants for opportunity to so to
Liberia numerous thenF
''Numerousl" he said with a smile, glancing
at pile of papers before him. Il should say
they were. They come not by hundreds, but by
thousands and tens of thousands. The desire
for removal to new country where men and
women of color may be an equality in every
sense with the other men and women
of that country seems to be on the in
crease We get thousands of applications from
every direction, and thousands more than we
can meet with the limited means at the disposal
of the society, which, of course, is maintained
by contributions. Yes, the applications are very
numerous l believe that if we had ships and
means to supply passage and means to help all
applicants get start there as we do with those
whom we do send, there would be half million
of the colored people of this country ready to go
at once"
''How many are you sending now"
THAT depends altogether on our means This
fall we shall send between thirty and forty, l
think"
GLOW many have you sent in all since the So
ciety was formedW
about 900 who were residents of this
country. Then there are about 3, 900 more, ma
tiYes of Africa, who were captured on board OF
vessels which were bringing them to this coun-
try to sell them as slaves. They were, as a rule,
sent to Liberia. So there have been over $1,000
persons landed there to make homes in that
country since our society began its work sixty
three years ago."
And have those who have made the expert
ment been satisfied with the resultP
Eyes, the very large proportion of those who
have gone there have been contented from
the start. We have been careful, especially in
later years, to only take men after they thor
oughly understand all the hardships that they
would have to undergo in emigrating to new
country, aid one of a hotter climate, and the
result is that we have them satisfied, and giving
satisfaction also to the managers of the enter
prise"
'How does the change of climate seem to af-
feet their health and constitutionsP
''Not unfavorably. They are, as rule, very
healthy, and the percentage of mortality very
small"
'sAnd what are the relations of those who 60
there to the natives by whom they must be sur
roundedl"
Very satisfactory. Their influence upon the
natives is very stronly marked. Liberia, you
must know, now extends up and down the coast
for distance of 600 miles, and stretches back
into the interior almost indefinitely, so that the
people who 60 there and who have gone are
brought into contact with a very large number
of the natives. The result has been gradual
assimilation of the natives with the civilized
element They have gradually come to see the
advantages of civilization as is shown by the
fact that within the past year two of the native
kings have come into the Liberian country to
rcmain. expressing desire to adopt the habits
Of civilization. Some of these kings and others
of the natives have for considerable time been
sending their children to the schools of Liberia
VI. a.E4 H.. Il
is now possible for one familiar with the English
tongue to make himself understood all along
that section. A very large percentage of the
natives in the Liberan country speak English
and understand it readily.
'And what does your association do for those
whom it sends abroad"
ut gives them passage to Liberia from the
port of New York only. requiring them to fur
nish their own transportation to that point. On
their arrival there il gives them ten acres of
land, town lot, if they prefer it, and in some
cases. where there is a family of considerable
size, it gives them twenty five acres. This
seems like a small amount of land but, in fact
it will produce as much there as 100 acres will
here. 1t also allows them $50 for rations and
shelter after reaching there. Toward this each
emigrant is expected to subscribe at least SIS be-
fore leaving home"
'And what are the opportunities for self sup
port there2D
"The same as here. Men who have trades are
in demand, and at good wages, as are also
teachers clerks and accountants AS to farm
ing, a colored man who has been there number
of years writes u.s. 'Two-thirds of the labor that
1t would take to support man in the United
States will reward the workman thirty. sixty,
hundred fold The profits will sweeten the toll
A coffee tree planted and raised will, in four
years. yield its increase, two crops a year. of
what many pronounce the best coffee grown in
the world. Arrowroot, pepper. lemons, oranges,
yams, potatoes, corn, beans and a hundred other
articles of food and coinmerce-put them in the
earth and they are sure to produce as the God
of nature is to bring the seasons"
Proved 1t On Him.
Boston Courier.
This story or something like it. was told by
General Shields when he last visited Boston.