The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-06-08

tho Habits and Customs of tho African
Rcpublic-A Dark Picture 'Bugga
BugSa," and "Drivcr" Ants.
"Whcn the judgment comes hope it
will begin with Liberia. If it does it will
be used up before it can go any further"
These are the words i'll which Charles
ii. j. Taylor, the United States minister
to the African republic, summed up his
opinion of the little country on the west
coast. Mr.. Taylor has recently returned
from his station, and has resigned his
mission. AS his resignation does not take
effect until Jan. IL, and as he is therefore
still connected with the state department,
he is wary oi expressing his opinions.
Mr.. Taylor is q coiorcd man Of marked
ability, and has been city attorney Of
Kansas City. lie chattcd cn,cr,ainincly
OF tho habits and customs of Liberia.
''l'he startling dispr"portion, he said,
"bctwccn the natives and the immigrants
and their descendants is not generally
known. OF the 1000 900 inhabitants of
Liberia, SSS, 600 are natives and la,UGO i'm
migrants. There were $1,000 immigrants
from America, but, as YOU see, most of
them are dead. They have hccn going
over from America for siXty-siX years.
and missionaries have been ut
work there for fifty years, md
these figures indicate all they have
accomplished. The civilized arc to the
uncivilizcl us one to u hundred.
There arc never any children in tho
third generation of Immigrant families.
One reason is the humid dampncss of tho
country, which impcrccptibly, but surely,
cNhausts the strength of all but natives.
The temperature ranges between S} and
"a deSs. You may polish your sl:ncs ut
night, and in the morning they will DO
covered with mildcw. All OF the nativcs
so nude. Two Of the tribes are very light
colorcd and pretty. The full dress of tho
men is tall hat and nm umbrella. Then,
in general, all the uncivilizcd influences
arc the stronger. The children &C immi-
grants have never seen ally civilization
but that of their parents, and they soon
learn to so nude like the great majority
Of people about them. There are many
other evil things about Liberia Of which
cann0t speak now. When went to Lii
IBERIA | thought wanted every negro in
America to pack his saclcl and 70 to that
paradise. Now | say to them, stay away
from it, Only dcludcd American negroes
go there HOW. They are led to 90 by
the Colonization Society. The motives OF
the society are good, but they do not know
the tr.th about LIBERIA
'Nliat arc some striking facts about
the condition Of the country"
'Thcrc is not q horse or n mule or u
jackass in the country. The cows are
about as big us Newfoundland dogs and
give no milk. The oxen are useless.
There is not carriage or wagon or even
wheelbarrow in the republic and there
are not three rlows owned in the whole
population. They have Il secretary of the
li;iNy, bit not IL ounce nor Il rnWhuut They
have Il secretary of war, but not cannon
to fire Il salute. Tie army consists of Isl
soldiers, of wl!"i jSs are officers and 90
privates. The legislature meets annually
and consists Of eight senators and thirteen
representatives. who stand for o,311j
voters. The natives are not represented
in the government. The president is ii.
w. *. johnson, who was born there Of
American parents. lie wears Il linen
buster in addition To his plug lat and
umbrella. He appoints all the officers,
from members of his cabinet down to
constables. Nearly every voter is an oili-
Ger Of some kind.
''Wl,en The Immigrant arrives he is met
consists OF one fife and one drum. Later,
he meets the buggn brgg;,s, and the
drivers. These arc ants. The bug.a bug
gas believe in woman rule They are COM
mandcd by II queen, who is us big rs Il
mans two thumbs and looks like Il white
piece Of bacon. She and her followers will
eat anything but iron. You may build IL
house one day. and the next dag, if you
were to strike it, the whole structure
would fall.
''Thc drircrs-oh, Tortl-thcy will eat
up q man. They have eaten six natives,
and the natives sometimes punish II Grim.
inal or an enemy by tying him to IL trce
and leaving him to his fate. The drivers
are the sravcngcrs of the country. They
march like an army, i'll II closely knitted
line, numbering myriads. They have
generals, colonies, captains, lieutcnants
and privatcs ranking according to size.
The generals are half as big as u littlo
finger They cat everything unclcan.
The natives are obliged to battle twice a
day, otherwise the drivers would over
whclm them, \ boa constructor, after
crushing u victim TO death, will make u
wide circuit around the body TO he sure
that no drivers are near. The serpent
knows that after he has swallowed the
body he must sleep, and if tho drivers
caught him in his pos. pmndial slumber
they would eat him up The drivers visit
4 house about twice month. Then you
have TO 80 away until they are eonc.'
"Wllat do the people do !or q living"
Il will only say tina, they earn their
living in Il different way from anybody in
America. cannot answer that question
with proprcty yet. New York Mail