The Washington herald., 1908-05-20
PLEADS FOR LIBERIA
COlored Bishop Says Europe
MenaceS Republic.
Will CALL ON THE PRESIDENT
Commissioners from Negro Nation In
Africa On Way TO Washington to
Seek Protection from Germany and
France-PreIate, Now at Baltimore
Conference, VIII Join In Mission.
Special to The Washington Herald.

! Special to The Washington Herald.
| Baltimore, Md. May 19.-An urgent plea
that the good Offices of the United States
be used Immediately to forestall threaten
/ ing eneroachnent on Liberia by Germany
and France was received by Bishop Isaiah
/ B. Scott. OF Liberia, who Is attending the
! Methodist conference, to-day.
! 1t came from three commissioners whom
/ the republic of Liberia has dispatched 10
the United States to ask for Intervention
in behalf OF the republic, which is closely
pressed by England and France. The
| commissioners have arrived In New York
and are on their way TO Washington,
where they will lay their grievance before
President Roosevelt
| Ths commissioners are 6. W. Gibson,
fermer. President of the republic; J. ],
| Dossen, Vice President, and c. B. Dun
bar. one of the leading lawyers of the
country.
| Bishop Scott has telegraphed to the
/ commissioners asking them TO stop in
Baltimore and confer with him relative
70 their mission. He may accompany
them to Washington.
| The visitors bear letters OF instructions
to President Roosevelt and Secretary Of
State Root from Rev. Ernest Lyon. coll
ored. United States Minister 10 Liberia,
who formerly lived In Baltimore.
situation Grows Acute.
Bishop Scott says the situation In IL
IBERIA had evidently grown more acute
/ since he left, six weeks ago, when 1t was
thought the menace Of occupation ef
parts OF the republic by the foreign pow
ers had been averted.
"A great struggle is going on among the
European powers" said Bishop Scott
for the possession Of Africa. and. natur-
ally. Liberia is sought after because Of
/ her timber, mineral wealth, rubber, and
| agricultural capabilities.
Various European powers began 10 es-
| tabIish permanent trading posts on the
coast; these became fortified towns; thus
| here and there colonies were established
! English, German, and French explorers
| of daring and determination penetrated at
various points into the interior and
/ brought back marvellous tales OF what they
found The world learned that instead Of
sn uninhabited desert. Africa was a coun-
/ try Of unbounded mineral and agricul-
taral resources, inhabited by powerful
| tribes Of natives, r'ho could. II induced
/ supply the earth wi.h nearly all IL needed
| from soil and forest.
Almost Rivals America.
'sThe revelation was almost equal to
that which followed the discovery Of
America, for the workshops OF every
manufacturing nation felt the need of sd-
ditional markets and became aware Of the
fact that these might be found among the
milHops of Africa.
There Is no official reason said
Bishop Scott, why the United States
should intervene in the present struggle
| for slices Of Liberia, for the republic is
not under the protection of the United
States. AL that the commissioners could
ask is the use of its kindly Offices by the
! United States to prevent the possibility
| OF the absorption OF Liberia and the loss
OF its identity as a separate nation.
There is no doubt that the people of
| the United States have kindly interest
| IN Liberia, for the first colonies planted
there were composed OF free colored per-
sons sent thither by the American gov
ernment, and IN the country to-day are
! 45, 600 Afro Americans VINO are either ma
tives Of the United States or are de-
scendants OF American-born parents.
They are the backbone of the country,
and through them civilization has
progressed on the dark continent. 1t is
but natural. therefore. that we Americans
should extend our sympathies to the re-
public In its effort to maintain its au-
/ tonomy and independence"
In Liberia Four Years.
Bishop Scott has been stationed In Ii
IBERIA for four years. He is the first
member Of the episcopacy sent to the
republic by the Methodist Episcopal
General Conference, other bishops on
duty there having been elected by local
conferences. Before going 10 Liberia, he
was editor Of the Southwestern Christian
Advocate BY his own toll he worked
his way through Warden University. at
Nashville. and entered the Methodist
Episcopal ministry.
He was born in Kentucky. his mother
being a free colored woman He was
five years old when the civil war be-
gan.