The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-08
WHAT LIBERIA
REALLY IS

While Bishop Turner is discussing the
practicabiiity of Transporting great num-
bers of Afro-Americans to the republic OF
Liberia, one Of his colleagues, Right Rev.
]. C. Hartzell, d. D., missionary bishop of
Africa, has been endeavorlng to arouse the
interest of the people of the United States
generally in Liberia itself, Amidst the gen.
eral rush of the great powers of the earth
for colonies. especially in the continent so
lately called dark" there has been a gen.
eral disposition to eye the rights of Liberia
as an independent nation with considerable
envy Alrdeady France has secured
treaty with the government of the republic
by which it is agreed that, in the eveent of
the republics alternating any portion of its
territories or ceasfng to exist, France will
take possession of some very valuable coast
land GermanS has not been behind in any
way, and has seized upon a certain mall
treatment of a German subject by Liberian
natives the pretext for demanding a
huge money indemnity, a cession of terri
tory, or, in lieu of these, the establishment
OF a German proteetorate over the nation.
Now Liberia Is something more than an
English-speclxing- nation-it is a country,
like Hawaii, where they talk United
States" The head and front of the gov
eminent is made up of some $4,000 America
Liber1ans, descendants of Americans settled
in the land between its foundation In 1922
and the present, together with those who
have themselves emigrated of recent years.
These are tn laven wherwith the lump OF
more than million unclvilized natives is to
be brought to independence and prosperity,
under American ideas and standards of liv-
ing. The saving remnant is empIfatically
American In it's thoughts, feelings. aspira-
lions and government, this last founded
upon our own. president, vice presidenet
and cabinet form the executive; there is
supreme court in which, from the begin
ming, no mean display of legal ability has
been made; while the legislative branch OF
the government comprises a senate of
eight members, two from each of the four
counties into which the nation has been
divided elected for a term of four years,
and house of representatives of thirteen
members, based on population, chosen for
terms Of three years each with the provi-
sion that an extra member shall be added
for every increase of 10000 in the number
of inhabitants.
This is something more than mere form,
this government, and is not to be COM
pared disadvantageously with the rule of
many of the American commemorative.
None of the extravagances which have too
often characterized the powers that be in
Hayti and San Domingo have been permit
ted, and the finances of the nation are so
admirably planned that there has been an
actual surplus for several years in the
revenue, and the national debt Is an I'M
known quantity. Liberia lies upon the
Guinea coast, in the most healthful portion
of it, and the death rate, never high, has
been steadily decreasing for years as the
suit OF the more general introduction of
drainage Its boundaries are some what UNI
settled: on the coast they reach for 4Ou
miles, from the mouth of the River Pedro
to the River Mama, extending inward for
an unsettled number of miles, asserted ar
100, though the authority of the govern
ment has hardly penetrated so far-leaving
abundant opportunity for contention with
the land-grabbihg nations unless Liberia
as whole finds powerful protector. This
is shown already In the amount of territory
conceded to belong to 1t. One hundred
thousand miles is not far from the conten-
ton of the government itself; Bishop Hart
zell says 1900, perhaps; American au-
thorities generally about $4,000 and the Eng
lish not more than 1900. If French and
German statistics were at hand they would
probably be much lower STILL
The nation was founded in 1922 by the
American Colonization Society as a home
for freedom. 1t remained under the con-
troll of this and other similar organizations
until lS47, when the inhabitants asserted
their right to be enumerated among the ma
tons of the earth and raised the flag with
single star and the familiar thirteen red
and white stripes. Though so intimately
~,A1o tod 80 h. TT~.t4-
til 1861, when the war clarifying the
ideas of national righteousness, that Amer
lea recognized Liberals independence. The
capital, Monrovia, named from President
James Monroe, under whose administration
which 1t was founded is hardly to be told
today from prosperous town in the south
ern states, except for the greater number of
negroes, and. SCIENTIFICALLY enough, of
churches. 1t has about Is 900 Inhabitants
and is fortunate in being the only town of
any size In the country, the population gen.
orally being scattered over large area in
hamlets or little villages
The climate is hot, but endurabie The
soil Is as rich as tropical soil can be-noth-
ing more can be said. Already variety of
Coffee has been put under cultivation,
whcih wins favor wherever introduced, and
some fortunes are to be made in its pro-
duction. Cocoa, sugar, palm oil and kerr
nels, ivory, wax, indigo ginger, hides, CO.
coanuts and gold make up no contempti-
Bile list of exports and no one could have
seen the exhibit made by the republic at
the Worlds Columbian exposition without
realizing the enormous possibilities of the
land. One of the best and most favorable
Indications of a healthy national growth Is
to be found in the attitude of the heather
natives to the Christians. Though there
has been no cessation of the labors of the
missionaries, the moneys available for the
education of the population as a whole
have been scanty. yet it seems to be the
fact that the advantages of civilization
and faith have been made SO evident that
the heathens are voluntarily submitting
themselves to instruction and with the best
results. Bishop Hartzell cries aloud for a
protectorate. 1t Is to the United States, he
says that the Liberians look first, since 1t
is with the great republic that they have
their closest affiliations. Failing this, they
will turn perforce to Great Britain. 1t
would seem to be an error IL the cry of