Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-16
y % o.;
Proceedings Of American Colonization
Society Meeting.
OFFICERS And COMMITTEES NAMED
Reports Received From Officers
of the Organization.
THE TREASURER'S EXHIBIT

The annual meeting of the American Col
| onization Society and it's board of directors
was held this afternoon at the socety's
headquarters, AZ street and Pennsylvania
avenue the president of the society the
Kew. Dr. Julius. E. Crammer of Balti-
more presiding. A meeting of the directors
was first held. at which others present
We're Rev. Judsoh Smith of the Massachu-
sets Colonization Society; Mr.. Gilbert EN-
ley of the Pennsylvania Colonization So
ciety; Mr.. j. Ormond Wilson, the secretary
of the American Colonization Society; Rev.
DR.. Byron Sunderland, Rev. DR.. A. J. Hun
tington, Mr. James L. Norris. the treasurer
OF the society, and Mr.. Clement W. How
ard
After prayer by Rev. DR.. Smith Messrs
Norris and Wilson were appointed a COM
mlttee on credentials and reported those
present as having been duly qualified. The
following additional committees were then
announced by the president:
On education and foreign RELATIONSHIP.
huntington and DR.. Judson Smith.
On accounts and finance-Mr Howard
Smith
On auxiliary societies and agencies-Dr.
Judson smith and Mr.. Gilbert Emley
On emigration-Dr Mackay-Smith. Mr..
Norris and DIR. Sunderland,
10 nominate the executive committee sec
Ietary and treasurer for the year 19O0-Mr.
E1nIey, Or. JudSon Smith and DR.. Sunder-
land.
Report of Directors.
The annual report of the board of direc-
tors was read. 1t spoke feelingly of the
death of the following members of the So
clety during the year: DR.. w. w. Godding
Rev. Robert Ryland, DID: Mr.. Arthur NJ
Burton and Mr.. George W. s. Hall. Free
passage to Liberia had been furnished four
persons. the report said
Mr.. Stevens. our agent in Liberia" the
report continues, has reported from time
to time the arrival of emigrants from this
country, sometimes in parties of a dozen or
more, so that it may be safely estimated
that from fifty to one hundred emigrants
nave gone from this country to Liberia dur
ing the year that has just elapsed and paid
their own way. AS we stated in our last
annual report, the number of this class Of
emsrants appears to be gradually increas-
ing With its present limited resources. the
society can assist only a few emigrants of
exceptional merit and desirability."
The report speaks of the success of sew
eral schools in Liberia and says:
This society assists in the payment of
the salaries of the teachers of these schools
upon the following conditions: The Libe-
| rianS are to provide acceptable buildings
and furniture; the schools are to be sub
ject to the general supervision of our agent
in Liberia Mr.. Julius C. Stevens; and pay
ments are TO be made only upon the receipt
by this society of reports of the schools
approved by our agent. The highest aim
that any assistance to Liberia can have is
to help her help herself, and it will be read
lily apparent that bur educational assist
ance is on this line
The report says the outlook in Liberia:
although there have been newspaper re-
ports from time to, time that Liberia was
prepared to surrender her sovereignty to
the United States or to Great Britain in re-
turn for a guaranty of protection by either
of those governments, yet so far as we are
reliably Informed there is no intention or
disposition on the part of that government
or people to surrender their independence,
and certainly no official step has ever been
taken in that direction. These reports are
pl obably newspaper surmises, based upon
tinent of Africa, in which the native tribes
and smaller political divisions are fast be-
ing appropriated by the great European
powers.
elected by a larger majority ever given to
a president of Liberia, and inaugurated for
a second term during the present month,
appears to deservedly have the confidence
of the people in his wise and efficient adj
| minstration of the executive department of
the national government.
Indications of Progress.
There are some indications of progress
that are gratifying to the friends of the
little republic. For while there was no
newspaper or other publication regularly
issued in the country. During the past
year. however, four publications have been
regularly issued: the Recorder and the New
Africa. under the auspices Of Bishop Hart
zell. and the Methodist Episcopal Church
Mission. at Monrovia, the capital; the Bap-
fist Monitor, at Kicks Institute. Montser-
RADIO county. and the Cape Palmas Repor-
ter, a quarterly magazine, at Cape Palmas.
These publications. all but one Of which are
issued entirely independent Of any foreign
assistance, pecuniary or otherwise. indicate
enterprise and ability highly creditabe to
the country and encouraging its
friends
Another cheering event of the year"
says the report, has been the reported re-
adjustment and initial payment on account
of the debt of the government contracted
in England more than quarter of a CEN
tury ago by President Roye. who was sum
marty impeached and deposed for his
criminal conduct in this transaction and
shortly after lost his life by drowning while
attempting to escape in a boat from his
prison in Monrovia-'
The report says:
THE territory of Liberia embraces what
is generally conceded to be the most eligible
part of the entire west coast of Africa
having frontage of about $50 miles on the
Atlantic ocean, between the parallels of
4 deg. 30 min and deg. 30 min north lati-
tuce, and extending interiorward toward
the Niger river a distance of about 200
miles. 1t thus has total area of about
81
square miles larger than the six New E ng-
land states of this country.
The present population of Liberia is esti-
mated at about 10000 civilized negroes
largely of American origin, and 900 900
natives, who have been more or less favor
ably affected by contact with their civilized
brethren for the last three-quarters of
century. AS the present population of the
New England STATES is about 100000, it
will readily be seen that there is an album
daEce of spare.rooms'et in Liberia awaiting
the advent of the efste rprising emigrant.
principal rivers Are the Mama. Cane
Mount. Half Cape Mount, St. Paurs. Mont
Cavalla on the southeast boundary, all of
which empty fnto the Atlantic ocean. AS is
well known. the continent of Africa has
around most q its Border a narrow rim of
low and marsh$, GROUND and then quite sud
denly rises int5 the5high plateaus that char
acterize its INFERIOR The high plateau for
nation of thlS Continent gives it a mean
altitude vsthe Jewel of the ocean of
more than twice Nat of the continent Of
Europe, and this feature largely and favor
ably modifies the climate of the former
The rivers in Iiberia are navigable only a