The times., 1898-06-13
LIBERIA, OUR COLONY.

While perhaps the settlement and ac-
QUESTION of all the territory on this conti-
nent that the United States has acquired
since the establishment OF it's independ-
ence may be called colonization, yet the
only colony founded by Americans under
the patronage of the United States Is
that of Liberia. now an independent na-
ton
The proposition to make the Philippine
Islands an American colony makes timely
and suggestive the interesting history OF
the African nation. For twenty-five years
it was under the tuteiage OF the United
States. until finally 1t established a gov
ernment of its OWN
1t was early in our history that the ex-
pertinent was made. Governor Harper OF
Washington City in 1916 started the move
ment which led 10 the formation of the
American Colonization Society This So
ciety believed that the solution of the
slavery question was the return of the
Africans 10 the land of their birth. In
1872. with the assistance of the United
States Government. it sent out a cOIa-
mission to select site for the colonial
ton of the American negro upon African
soil The site OF the present nation OF
Liberia was chosen as a suitable spot.
and in May Of that year a party of freed
men who wished 10 enjoy the political and
social rights denied them in America set
out for Africa. They landed in Sierra
Leone. where the British had already
made refuge for freed slaves. but be-
ing looked upon as interiopers. they NOV
ed southwark and settled at the present
site of MOnrOvia, the capital whose Iana
is in honor of President Monroe
For twenty-five years the colony re-
mained under the direct patronage ~ the
United States. Its governors were white
men. sent out by the American C0loniza-
ton Society. and their salaries were paid
by the United States Government AS
compensation for this outlay on our part
the Liberians gladly permitted the United
States 70 use their harb0rs and territory
as place Of refuge for recaptured slaves
taken from vessels engaged in the traffic.
These, landed upon the free shores of L.
IBERIA, because citizens. and many Of them
were among the best in the colony.
The colony got along very we'll with this
kind OF gOvernmtnt for twenty-five
years, but on attempting TO put into force
their tariff laws the English traders re-
fused 10 recognize them. claiming that L.
IBERIA was not a nation. The colony had
now reached stage when Il must be ab-
sOlutely under the protection OF the Unit
ed States or else independent The deci-
sion Of the United States Supreme Court
that a slave was a chattel decided the
question. With full knowledge that sub
ordination to the United States. while SUCH
decision was recognized as law, would
mean the return OF escaped slaves TO the
United States. the colonists. at the advice
OF the American Colonization Society. de-
clarei themselves independent and estab-
Eshed a republic The provision was made
that only negroes should be eligible 20 citi-
zenship. or should be able 70 own real
estate.
The constitution was closely modelled on
that Of the United States The govern
ment consists OF a president, a senate.
and a house OF representatives together
with a supreme court II was provided
that there should be a militia but no
standing army 10 bring in its wake the
train Of revolutions that have occurred ii
the South American countries. and per-
haps il is on this account that Liberia has
been free from internal disorders. those
in South American States being usual.y
due 70 the rival ambitions Of military
leaders.
independence dates from July 2s. Isf7
The United States did not approve OF the
proceeding. and withheld recognition from
the new republic. Great Britain was
more kind In 1913 Liberals independence
was recognized by the queens govern
ment, and England presented the infant
nation with a man-of-war and assisted Il
in other ways. France followed with rec
ognitiOn and a present of 1900 uniforms
for the militia.
The opposition Of the slave owners OF
the United States was strong enough to
recognition, and II was not until the war
of secession in 1851 that the United States
gave this cOuntenance.
Yet the Influence of the United States
has always been potent in Liberals
affairs. The leading men of the republic
have been American negroes or their de-
seendants and had IT not been for Uncle
Sam Liberia would long ago have been
gobbled up by England or France The
negroes sent by the United States as
ministers have always given European
powers TO understand that the United
States considered Liberia her protege and
would not tolerate the annexation of the
republic TO their lands. Despite the pa
tronage of the United States. the Libe-
rians have gradually suffered a loss Of
territory. This has been seized by means
of boundary disputes. the familiar device
OF greedy Europeans Originally the ma
ton extended from SherbOrO 10 the san
Pedro River. But England has gradually
enlarged its Sierra Leone boundaries and
France that of it's Soudan territory until
they have annexed some 12000 square
miles of the s.. 600 which the Liberians had
originally. The latter secured their land
by purchase of the natives, but preteXtS
were easy for France and England The
seizure made by England in 1884 is typical
British traders who had settled in tine
Northwest Territory refused TO acknOwl-
edge the sovereignty of Liberia over the
ground they held Four British men-of-
war steamed up to MOnrovia in March OF
that year and demanded that President
Gardiner consent to fix the northern
1 boundary at the Mamma River. He signed
I the treaty but the senate refused TO
/ ratify while the government appealed 10
I other powers The United States alone
| paid any attention. and as that was to
/ advise compliance with English demands
/ there was nothing else for the republic
I TO do France tried the same trick on
/ two later occasions. and the last cessiOn
of territory to France was made in 1884,
As the only self-soverning community
of Africans in Africa Liberia occupies a
UNIQUE position. The experiment is sue
cessfuI in that il sands and shows no
prospect of dissolution. Yet it has failed
in the result intended Now that political
freedom is possible in the United Sta-eS
the emigration to Liberia has decreased.
for the negroes prefer to remain here. es-
pecially when life in Liberia is unpleas-
ant because of the tropical climate. which
| few American negroes are able to en-