Evening star., 1909-03-03
Commission Got Advice.


healthy.
Commission Got Advice.
Secretary Root explained to the Libe-
rian commission that we had no authority
to loan their government any of our Off
cials. but recommended that they confer
with Booker Washington, Bishop Hart
zell. r. c. Ogden of New York and other
gentlemen who are particularly inter-
ested in Liberian affairs, and solicit
their cooperation in selecting competent
men Of experience from the civil service
Of the United States who would be will
ing to go over to Liberia. He also ad-
ViSed them to get some strong colored
men from Tuskegee with the capacity
for leadership and control to take the
lead in developing their resources. and
teaching the natives how to apply their
labor to the best advantage. He ques-
toned them closely concerning their
boundary disputes, their financial condi-
ton. their revenues, their foreign debt
their internal taxation and the possibil-
ity of constructing roads and other In
ternal improvements He explained why
1t would not be practicable for our gov.
ernment to promote emigration. and told
them frankly that there is no possibility
of securing a subsidy for a steamship
line to Liberia so long as congress re-
fuses to give even reasonable mail pay
to steamships SIready carrying our COM
merce to other coSntries.
Mr.. Root talked with them very frank
ly, gave them some iatherly advice. and
finally agreed to recommend. as he has
already recommended. the appointment
of a mixed commission of practical men
of business ability and experience to
visit Liberia, to ADVISE that government
and to report to our Congress some
practical plan for assisting that country
to improve it's condition. Mr.. Root
urged very strongly that the commission
get into touch with Americans who have
had practical experience in building uI
governments in Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines. and if possible to in
duce some of them to go to Liberia
under contracts with full authority to
reorganize their treasury. customs
courts. post Office, educational. agricul-
turaI and police departments. without de.
pending upon official assistance from this
government.
The same commission went to Germany
on a similar errand, and with similar re-
suits. and returned to Liberia without
accomplishing anything in the way OF
practical results.
Chances for Development.
There is not the slightest doubt Of the
natural wealth Of Liberia. There are
magnificent forests of mahogany and
other fine timber that are practically un-
explored. the soil will produce the very
best of cotton, cocoa and coffee, but the
people are too lazy to work it, and the III
tie that is prduced is of an inferior quail
ity. There are all kinds of medicinal
plants waiting to be gathered. Gum
copal. which is the largest source of rev.
enue for the South Sea Islands. Is abun'
dant, but is not gathered at all. and the
rubber industry, which, as stated In
former letter, is in the hands of German
company. makes no monopoly or the
trade but simply pays the natives fol
whatever they may bring In from the
government forests
There are no roads, there are no We
hicles, and none of the conveniences OF
civilization outside the city OF Monrovia
which has about 10000 population, most.
ly immigrants from the United States
There are few schools on the coast, con.
Quoted by American missionaries. but the
moral as well the material. condition Of
the natives. as a missionary expressed It
"is as bad as it can possibly be, and con-
tinually growing worse"
Attempt at Colonization.
Some years ago Bishop Turner of the
African Methodist Church at Atlanta or
ganized an emigration movement through
the south and sent two. and perhaps three
shiploads of cclored people from the cot
ton belt across to Liberia. They were
recruited by means of sending lecturers
and distributing literature. brilliantly IL
lustrated. throughout the villages ane
plantations of the south, and an arrange
ment was made by which those who
wished to go could buy their tickets or
the installment plan. paying so much q
month. There was a great deal or en-
thusiasm and the emigrdnts sailed from
q q, -trO nd
Hallelujah. We Are Bound for the
Promised Land" But the poor, delude6
creatures soon recovered from their hal
lucinations. Upon their arrival in Il
IBERIA they found that there was nothing
for them to do. and no way of earning
a living without the capital which they
lacked Many OF them managed to re-
turn to this country with money furnish
ed by their friends Others still remain
in Liberia, where their condition is much
worse than it ever was in the south.
There is no need of emigrants. The
population is already in excess OF the
demand. There is nothing for any one te
do over there without some capital tG
work with. Land can be had for the ask.
ing, and without limit as to acreage, ano
there is market for anything that the
soil will produce. but no one has money
to buy tools or pay for the labor that Il
necessary to redeem the land from the
tropical vegetation that now covers 1t. OF
to provide the transportation and break
the roads to haul the crops to market
There are nearly two millions of unem'