The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-12


three years later the little republic failed
10 meet the interest, and this condition
OF affairs has prevailed ever since, until
now Liberals fiscal agents in London
nave announced that the government is
once more able to meet its obligations.
This step was rendered feasible by a
new source of revenue derived from rub
Der and the interest which the bond
holders despaired of getting is now being
paid on the royalties turned into the gov
eminent of the republic, by the Liberian
Rubber Syndicate, an essentially Engllsh
concern. The Associated Press learns
that the arrears Of interest are pracu-
cally swept away, as the bondholders
agree to accept the comparatively small
sum of S75, 900 in settlement of the full
amount of arrears though this appropria-
ton will not be applied until the eXtinc-
ton Of the debt. In the meanwhile. the
current interest has been reduced from
Z to 3 per- cent. rising 1-2 per cent every
three years until it reaches per cent,
which rate will be maintained until the
extinction of the loan. The development
of the rubber industry in Liberia has at
tracted considerable attention, which has
not confined itself to the commercial as
pect, for the Associated Press under
stands there is likely TO be in the near
future diplomatic activity in realization to
the status of Liberia. The encroachments
of the French upon it's territory have
caused no little disquietude at the for
eign office, while it is the general belief
thata the United States would gladly Sc
cure a coalng station on the Liberian
coast. In these and other respects the
renewed prosperity has brought the ter
ritory to the notice of the European
powers and though the press here has
failed to observe this particular si~n Of
the times, it can be said authoritatively
that the future status of Liberia was re-
Gently much deliberated upon by several
cabinets. Having thus become the object
of unsolicited attention{ it is quite prob
able that the American negroes who still
retain the reins of government in this
slice Of the west coast of Africa may
soon be threatened with the possibility
Of exercising their privileges under the
tUtelage of one of the great powers,
though in such an arrangement the
United States. by virtue of the original
settlement. would doubtless have a share.
In connection with the reported Anglo
American understanding regarding the
open door in China, apan's attitude in far
eastern affairs is much canvassed. Sew
eral correspondents in China talk of
coming conflict beteen Japan and Russia
over Corea. a letter from Seoul which
appears in the Times today says: 1.-THE
Japanese are convinced that to permit
Russia to acquire Corea or establish Rus
sian ascendancy in northern China would
be strategically, politically and CONNER
cially a deadly menace to Japans rapidly
developing strength Japan believes her
navy is strong enough to attack Russia,
and the general opinion is that the inter-
ests of the two nations are so conflicting
that 1t is impossible to avoid a rupture
in the near future" The Spectator dis
cusses the matter and thinks such a con-
flict extremely probable, but does not see
any cause for Great Britain to interfere,
adding: Let the bear and shark fight
their quarrel for themselves. while we,
with America, insist upon the open door"
The moment is was known that Mrs.
the patronage of the Prince of Wales for
the Cafe Chantant, which American per
formers are to give November 49, for the
benefit of the hospital ship Maine, which
American women are equipping for ser
vice in South African waters, the success
Of that entertainment was assured, and
the rush for tickets is now so frantic
that absent-minded applicants even for
get to send their addresses with postal
orders. The whole ground floor of
Claridge's has been placed at the dis
posaI of the committee and the question
is now how the program can be crowded
into a brief three hours.
The curious spectacle of a royal duchess
spending every day from II 10 in I'M
packing and sorting garments for the
poor was provided this week when the
Duchess of York, attended by two titled
ladies-in-waiting, was spending the whole
time in helping to arrange the exhibits
of needlework of the guild of which she
is the head.
Lord Aberdeen, speaking at Scarbor-
ough. referred to Canada as the bright
est jewel in the British crown, destined
to take a still higher part in the imperial
government" and prophesied an increase /
in the brotherhood not only between Can /
ada and Great Britain, but between Can !
ada and the United States.
Mail advices announce the safe arrival |
of the American explorer Donaldson (
Smith, at Nargeisa SomaIiland. Mr.. /
Smith intends to push on to Lake Ru- /
delphi and thence explore the unknown |
country westward