The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-07
TRADE IN LIBERIA.
Commerce Of Negro Republic With
United States Nearly Vanished.

Trade and commerce between the
United States and Liberia should have
prospered, but they have dwindled al
most to the vanishing point. Liberia
has been unprogressive, yet England
and Germany are selling goods there.
Liberia is rich in agricultural re-
sources, and their development with
the low-priced labor available Is
bound to come from some source. Con-
sui General Lyon of Monrovia covers
the situation in Liberia in the follow
ing report:
The Republic of Liberia contains an
area of $4,000 square miles. 1t has
$50 miles of coast line. The popula-
tion is estimated at 100000, one
tenth American negroes, the remain
der natives. The history of Liberia
dates back to 1920, when the Ameri-
can Colonization society, formed in
Washington, with Henry Clay as pres
ident, founded the colony of Liberia
for emancipated negroes and gave
them favorable opportunity for self
government.
The country is we'll adapted to agri-
culture, the principal products being
coffee, cotton, piassava, cocoa, rub
Der, nuts and fruits. There are mag
nificent forests unworked. Twont,'-
two different kinds OF rubber trees are
found. and camwood is plentiful. Gold
and silver exist i'll paying quantities.
The cultivation of the soil is neglected
and the product is scanty. The abb
sence of public highways and the
present unnavigable condition of the
rivers and lakes render travel diff
cult. The country needs capital; its
introduction would revolutionize ex-
listing conditions by creating demand
for skilled labor and conveniences en-
joyed by the inhabitants of other CEN
tiers. Labor receives as compensation
only "a cents per day, together with
rations, which consist of / quart of
rice and l pound of dried fish. The
aborigines are the only means of
transportation and communication to
and from the interior Of the country.
The trade of Liberia is small and
divided principally between Germany.
England, Holland and the United
States, with the preponderance in
favor of Germany. The imports from
Germany for the six months ended
June 80, 1905. were $15S,S75; exports
thither, $204.7O3. Imports from Eng
land, $141. 243, and exports thither,
$SS,195. Holland sold Liberia $12,S31
and bought $1,543. The United States
sold her $3.604 and took $2,00S.
Cotton manufactures and rice are
the chief articles Of importation. Over
$4,000 worth of cotton goods were
bought of England, Germany and other
countries In the six months ending
with June. 1905. and only 1913 worth
from the United States. About the
same amount in value of rice was pur-
chased of the same countries, though
none was obtained from the United
States. Lack Of transportation facili-
ties to the United States interferes
with trade.
The same crude methods of farm
ing that were in vogue centuries ago
still exist. The pillow is seldom IL ever
used. and the hoe and knife are the
chief implements of agriculture. The
proper cultivation of the rubber tree
would bring great wealth. Cotton
grows everywhere in the interior, and
with proper cultivation would yield
enormously. The soil of Liberia is
eminently adapted to the cultivation of
rice. and seven kinds are grown.
= The outlook for Liberia from COM
merciak and Industrial viewpoint Is
discouraging. The country has been
practically abandoned by its alma
mater, and seems to exist only for the
purpose of being exploited in Euro
pean countries.