The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-06-17
Not o ssCanaan."

At Cleveland the other day I met
two gentlemen who were attending the
General Conference of the Methodist
Church, now being held in that city,
as delegates from the Liberian Repub-
lie. They told me an interesting
story of their progress in their coun-
try, the condition of the people and
the great opportunities offered there
for money-making to persons who can
bring capital. Labor is plenty, but
money is scarce. The principal sta
pie is coffee, and as that requires q
large investment and a delay Of FIVE
or six years before returns begin to
come in the crop is limited. The peo-
pie are not able to go into the bust
ness. But when the trees mature and
begin to bear fruit the profits are alb
solutely certain and very large. A
plantation we'll kept will last for Is
or 80 years without renewal, and the
cost of maintaining it is very small
compared with other forms of fruit
culture and agriculture. The best
kept plantations pay as much as Is
to 80 per cent. net dividends, while
few of the ordinary ones pay less than
Is per cent. Coffee raisingin Liberia
they claim to be the most profitable
agricultural industry in the world.
And the Government will give free
lands to those who will come to the
country with money enough to plant a
reasonable number Of trees.
These gentlemen tell a sad story Of
the %misfortunes of the colored emf
grants who left Savannah for Liberia
about a year ago. They were in
duced to emigrate by a colonization
society which is under the patronage
of Bishop Turner of the African
Methodist Church, and which sent
another party of 200 or 300 souls this
spring. The agents of this society
travel through the South with books,
circulars and posters that tell the
most alluring stories of the attrac-
tions and advantages of Liberia as g
home and many become interested
enough to purchase tickets upon the
installment plan, paying 81 or 81 q
month. These tickets are finally is-
sued in the form of a certificate which
promises passage to Liberia, e tract
of land upon arrival and provisions
enough to support the holder until
his first crop is harvested. If a sub
scriber fails to meet his installments
when they are due, he forfeits the
money he has paid, and in that way
the emigration company secures the
largest share Of. Che profits. The price
of a ticket is not sufficient ia pay the
transportation and furnish subsistence
as promised.
On these terms a party Of about 25(
adults with a large number Of children
sailed for Liberia on the steamer Hor,
sa in April, 1895, but upon their ARR
val at Monrovia there was no M tc
meet them; no preparation had beer
made for their reception; no provis'
ions were furnished for their subsis.
tence, and although those who desir
ed were able to take advantage of the
general offer of the Government 0:
free agricultural lands to settlers, thu
whole party, almost without exception
Immediately became dependent upor
charity and had to be furnished with
food and shelter. Some Of them real
izing that they had been deluded anc
swindled secured means to return tt
their former homes in the United
States. Others, who were energetic
and industrious, went into the interior
and obtained employment at small wa
ges, but the greater part Of the emf
grants are still dependent upon chart
ty. Those who have recently beer
sent by the same society will proba
bly, meet with a similar reception ant
suffer a similar fate.
The Liberian gentlemen, to whom
refer, think the United State
Government ought to take some
means to prevent the Southern ne
groes from being victimized in thi
marner,-Mscaqo Herald.