The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-10-03
"TO THE RESCUE OF LIBERIA"

Bishop Isaiah B. Scott, Superinten-
dent of the work of the Methodist
Episcopal Church of Liberia, has
never bit his lip when duty demand
ed him to speak out. In last weeks
independent (NeW York; he writes
plain, complete, brave story of the
threatening danger now surrounding
the Republic of Liberia, upon whose
Northwest Great Britain is encroach-
ing, and upon whose Southeast i'm
pertinent France is trespassing, and
is very insulting about it. In the at
titude of England and of France
Bishop Scott sees great peril for both
the present hope and future POSSIBLE
ity of the Republic, for these two
powerful nations Notwithstanding
the ceSsiOns made to each by the Re-
public in the interest of peace, have
violated every treaty right ever made,
and used their power and influence
and prestige to awe the little black
Republic into a position where for
fear of a clash between either or
both, it would accept in silence what
ever treatment were meted out to it.
Neither England nor France suspects
that the United States would ever
come to know Of its attitude towards
Liberia, for the very obvious reason
that the authorities would be afraid
to arrest the attention of this nation
towards the conduct of either,-lest
both France and England should
make it, to say the least, seriously I'M
peasant for them and for the coun-
try, all the time representing to the
nations that Liberia were either woe
fully stupid or dreadfully ignorant
ObliVious Of compact and honor they
have trod with impunity all over the
blacks. Bishop Scott investigated the
matter and speaks out Speaking, he
will be heard
The Bishop observes in his contri-
button to The Independents:
Frequent trouble is reDorted bv
England on the northwestern from
tier, in which Liberia is made the
aggreSSOr, seeking, as it does aDDear.
an occasion for the usual cry that
Liberia is unable to exercise police
jurisdiction over this portion Of her
possessions and therefore England,
Tor the protection Of her own inter
ests, must occupy the disturbed sec
lions. Strange to say, however, no
trouble arose in this section before.
until Liberia undertook to exercise
her treaty rights, and to collect the
revenue which was her lawful her
itage
10 this statement by Bishop Scott,
no further word is necessary to prove
the presence Of the old root and
Dranch Of British culpab1ity when
England is thrown to deal with a
weaker country. Of the sins Of
France, whose conduct in recent
years excites no small amount Of
chagrin in those whose faith in pop-
2 mlar free government has been their
faith in regenerated France, he Wig
orously writes:
The condition on the southeast is
even more acute. & + + ~ Not
Withstanding the cessi0n Of the Ivory
coast by Liberia to France, the latter
still manifests an Unsuitable annette
Tor more Of Liberals territory.
The Bishop, after pointing out that
france Is unwilling to live up to the
freaty of 1892, and is planting mill
tary posts in and exercising undue in
duence ever the chiefs of the DISPUTED
territory, calls upon the Government
OF the United States, not only In tina
y interest OF fair-play and honesty in