The Washington times., 1904-11-13

Many OF the missionaries have adopted
the barter system in their work among
the natives This places the missionary
on the same level with the trader The
enormous profit made is a temptation
20 good men. many Of whom have turned
aside for nlthy Iucre- From $50 20 1l3
per cent sometimes are easily made on
some things. The government has been
liberal to the missionaries in allowing
free entry to everything used By them in
their work. The Muhlenberg station
ships coffee 10 the United States. 4
lady who has been a missionary at Mon
rovia for twenty-five years deals in ker-
oseue oil and other commod ties. which
are sold at a profit The popular opin-
ion Is that some Of these bartering mis-
sionaries are quite as much interested
in their wares as in the souls OF the
heather. Il would be far better If the
boards in the United States under whose
auspices they operate would relieve the
workers in Africa from this practice
by supplying them with sufficient means
with which TO carry on the work with
out II
As far as we can learn, the phiian-
thrOpic people of the United States sup
ply all the funds which come TO the
Republic Of Liberia for the support of
missionary enterprises and educational
work, The first experiment in foreign
mission work undertaken by the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church was IN Liberia.
The society for nearly seventy years
expended a large amount OF money. In
previous years as much as $4,000 was
spent annually. In these latter years.
as the work has become somewhat self
supporting. only $4,000 Is expended
annually. Among the foreign mis-
sion establishments supported BY the
Protestant Episcopal Church OF the
United States Is the one IN LIBERIA for
which $4,000 comes annually from that
churchs philanthrOpic communicates.
The Presbyteriaus and the Baptists OF
the United States have not been behind
in missionary experiment. The Liberia
College the national institution is aided
by bequests left By Americans interested
in the intellectual development or the
people. As far as We have been able TO
learn. no other nation helps. No charit-
able institutions are supported BY Euro
pean philanthropy. although European
merchants mOnopOlize the trade. IL is
quite true according 10 the British con-
suls report on trade in Liberia for 1903.
that america is not represented by A
single firm" II is strange that TIE ma
ton has allowed others 70 reap what II
has sOwn; but 1t IS well represented in
the higher ideals Of human endeavor
and IN an extension OF Christian benevO-
Ience, which must continue 10 rebound
TO its national credit.
Trade in the Interior.
Currency is absent from this section.
The natives bring their products-eonee.
palm OIL palm kernels. palm wines ka-
sada. starch. piassava. ivory. skins, veni-
son. camwood, rubber, beeswax. honey.
gold. precious stones. sheep. goats. cat
tie, ginger, kOla nuts. and other things
and FOR these they get from the mer-
chant cloth, salt, tobacco, pipes. gin,
cutlasses. brass kettles. iron pots trink-
cts, beads. handkerchiefs. powder. caps,
shot, st0ckhsh, looking glasses. combs,
Florida water. and other commodities,
all OF which are sold at large profit.
For instance, cl0th purchased in Eng
land al 10 cents q yard IS sold In
trade for "A cents.
England and Germany seem 70 have
a monopoly of trade. Their factories
are located within easy reach of the ma
tives, and their agents penetrate the in
terror The goods are manufactured
with special reference To Africa and the
Africans That they do a good business
may be inferred from the preferred
claims of a German lrm for sl50. coo
against a Liberian merchant doing busi-
ness at Monroyia-