Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14
TIE NEW WORK.

THE NEW WORK.
The new work of the society is outlined in
recent bulletin, which says in part:
The abolition Of slavery in the United States
the enfranchisement of the negro, the equal
nights and opportunities now provided by law
for him. have changed his environment to such
an extent that emigration to a land of freedom
Is no longer the Indispensable requisite to the
improvement Of his condition that il was in the
earlier DAYS of colonization. But no legislation
can abolish race prejudice and social discrimi-
nation, and it Is believed that the negro can
have freedom for development in Liberia
which no Laws, however just or favorable, will
secure To him in this country.
The American Colonization Society is not
now engaged in the work of stimulating or
soliciting the emigration of negroes from the
United States to Liberia. 1t has or its records
at this time many thousand applicants for
passage. while it has the means to assist but
very small fraction of this number. In the
present Judgment of the. executive committee,
even If ii had the means, il would not be wise
to send out many of these applicants, for they
are not the material which Liberia now needs
TO develop ner resources and strengthen her as
a weak young nation.
But this society, encouraged and aided by
the government of the United States having
founded the colony, is now bound by the high
est moral Obligations to stand by its progeny
and give II all the MD and support in its power.
Under these circumstances the point Of view
Is changed and the question how can the society
best help and strengthen Liberia comes to the
front. OF course the work of the society under
its charter must be essentially colonization but
this can be carried on with less reference TO the
pressing opportunities of applicants and more
regard to the wants of Liberia: in other words
the work of tie society NAV hereafter wisely
be colonization for the sake of African civiliza-
ton.
THE PLAN PROPOSED.
"a brief statement of the views Of the execu-
tive committee may be summarized as follows:
IL. Colonists hereafter to be selected with
special reference to the needs OF Liberia ard to
be located there with more care and to better
advantage to themselves.
''2. Funds held in trust for education to be
applied in ways to stimulate the Liberan gov
eminent to more energetic action in establish
ing and fostering a system OF public schools
rather than TO the support Of independent
schools.
y. To aid in collecting and diffusing more
full and reliable information about Liberia
II. To promote in every way the estab lishing
Of more direct. quicker and more frequent
communication between the United States and
Liberia. Direct steam communication is not
the pressing need and ii is believed to be prac-
Gcablo solely from q commercial point of view
There are now steamers running TO Africa from
Hamburg. Havre. Mar, eiles. CadiZ and Lisbon
while two steamers week sail from Liverpool
Surely here IL field for commerce worth the
attention of capitalists iii the United States
-. The chief end of che work of the societyis
20 be in the line of enabling and stimulating Lii
Deria to depend less and less upon others and
more and more upon herself.