The evening times., 1897-01-19

today, beginning at noon, in its rooms on
| the corner OF Four-and-a-halr street anC
| Pennsylvania avenue. In the absence ol
| the president, Bishop Potter, the Rev By
ron Sunderland, ID. d., was elected presi
4 dent.
! There were present the Hon. Isaac Smith
| Of New York; Mr.. Reginald Fendall, Dr
w. w. Goddng, Judge c. C, Mott, Rev. A
J. Huntington, d. D.; Mr.J 0rmond VIII
son, Pay Director A. W Russell, U. s. n.
Mr.. A. NJ Burton, Mr.. John w. Dulles and
| Mr. Gilbert Emley.
The annual reports were read and com
| mittees were announced respectively, on
| credentials, ON education and foreign re
| lations, accounts and finances, auxiliary
societies and agencies, and efnigatim.
| The Committee recommended that a steam
| ship be chartered for trip next fall, and
also suggested that pecuniary aid be given
to the hospital recently founded in Bassa by
Rev. Luke ID. Anthony, native and grand
son OF the Bassa tribe, who returned there
from this country about one year ago.
The society resolved to do all it can to
encourage immigration, and expressed the
belief that the government OF Liberia will
welcome the effort and lend its aid.
A collation. was served to those present
at 1 o'clock.
The secretary, j. Ormond Wilson, read
his annual report. He agrees with Prof
o. +. Cook, of Liberia College, expressed
through The Times, when Prof Cook was
here last summer, that the negro race may
reach condition Of finer manhood and in
dependence, along with greater material
prosperity, in Liberia than anywhere else
in the world But both men point out
clearly that this position is to be reached
there, as anywhere, only through labor and
Intelligent self-dircction. Those who are
content 20 remain servants in the homes of
white men for the sake of comfort assured,
are advised to remain in the United States
Mr.. Wilson, by comparison with early
colonial history in America, shows that
the conditions for establishing communities
in Liberia havenot proved nearly so hard as
they were in Virginia and Massachusetts,
Reliable information,'' he says, has
been received that not less than 325 ne
groes have emigrated from the United
States to Liberia during he year, who went
out of their own accord, and received no
pecuniary assistance from this society or
otherwise. Under the old system of colon
ization, at the expense OF this society, this
would have cost from $40 900 to $50 600
Many OF these emigrants are reported
as pleased with their new homes and do
ing well. A few have returned to the
United States and demonstrated their uu-
fitness for the self-reliant, intelligent and
industrious life required OF pioneer in a
new country. The number OF those who
have put their ham d to the pillow and looked
back, however, has not been larger than
accompanied the entire experience of tire
colonization of Liberia, when this society
was accustomed to give coIonists free
passa ge out and furnish them with provfs-
ions for six months after their ARRIVAL
Mr.. Wilson says commerce between the
United States and Africa is growing rapid
ly. A comparative statement from the
Treasury Bureau of Statistics shows that
exports OF wheat to Africa in the past
year have Increased from S111,O33 to
S1,556,6 ,662; flour, S44 ,474 to $729, ,731;
cotton cloth, S345, ,79S TO S697 ,902. Also
large q dvances have been made in lumber,
cottonseed oil, carriages and machinery,
bicycles, books, leather, etc.
Mr.. Wilson quotes from the report OF
United States Consul Heard from Mon
rovia of September 25, 1896, as follows:
The producing and exporting of Libe-
rian coffee is becoming a subject Of great
concern to the farmers Of this republic. The
phenomenal increase in its production is
worthy of consideration. The coffee ex-
ported during the fiscal year 1896 amount
ed to 100000 pounds, while the exports
for the year ended June so, 1896, amount
ed to 100000 pounds. Farmers, mer-
chants and people generally have turned
their attention TO coffee growing. While
no American ships touch at any Liberian
port, yet more than one-fifteenth of the
coffee produced is shipped to the United
states via Liverpool. Coffee is the largest
export, yet palm oil. palm kernels, cassava
and rubber are shipped in great quantities.
IL ships from the United States touched at
Monroyia, Bassa and Cape Palmas, half of
the imports would be American, and in turn
the exports would go to the United States.
The people, save the few Europeans re-
siding here, prefer American produce. The
reason for this preference is that the peo-
pie are immigrants from the United states,
and in habits and life are American. A di-
rect line of steamers from New York or
Boston, touching at this port once in two
months, would be paying enterprise"
''Our agent in Liberia. Mr.. Julius G..
Stevens continues Mr.. Wilson, has de-
voted his services largely to the improve
ment of the common schools. The late
President Cheeseman appointed him a
commissioner of education a position which
gave him official standing
The executive committee OF this society
through Mr.. Stevens, offered to pay sal
ary of not exceeding $20o a year for
teacher whenever and wherever the citi
zens ofLibe ria wouldestablish ane W school,
build a schoolhouse, furnish it, and provide
for its incidental expenses, the schools to
be under the Supervision OF our agent in
Liberia, and to make regular reports or
their condition. attendance and progress
TO this society al vouchers for the payment
of the money. Under this arrangement one
school has been opened and two are about
ready to open.
''At its last session the legislature of
Liberia, continued Mr.. Wilson, granted
TO, this society 1 900 acres OF land, con-
1guous to the zoo acres which it already
held at Beulah, making a total of 1, geo
acres now held in trust for All Saints
Hall School. Prof o. F. Cook, of Liberia
College. visited the place, at the request
VI OillS hOGitby, dll illaut u lilOSb ldNOfdDie
report on it's eligibility for an industrial
in which horticulture and agri-
culture should receive prominent atten-
ton.
1.-The executive committee, however, do
not consider the fund held in trust for the
benefit of this school large enough at
present to Justify them in undertaking
to prepare the necessary buildings, and
commence such a school as they contem-
plate and hope to see established event