The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-04-28
NEGRO FAILS
To Establish Successful Govern.
rnsnt in Liberia
AFTER GIVEN START

AT aeK GvEN SaAKl
The Government Founded Over in
Africa by the United States for
i the Advancement of the Negro
Falls Hopelessly Flat and Must
Be Taken in Charge.
Shouldering one more task of the
White Mans burden, the United
States government will send three
commissioners to Liberia next Sat
urday with the object of ascertaining
by what means and in what manner
the little black republic on the west
coast Of Africa can be maintained in
her independence and the country as
a nation improved generally In the
administration of it's government, the
development Of its natural. wealth
and the elevation of it's citizenship.
The task is assumed by this gov
ernment primarily for the reason
that Liberia was esta blished and set
in motion as Independent republic
by the United States because Of
Congressional acts almost century
ago, affecting the slave trade and ne
gro immigration to Africa at the
instance of American colonization
societies.
The commission will leave on the
new scout cruise squadron made up
of the Birmingham, Chester and Sa-
lem recently placed in commission
and is expected to make the trip to
Monrovia, the capital and sea port
of Liberia by way OF the Azore Is
lands The commission Is scheduled
to remain in Africa about six or
eight weeks during which time they
! will confer with all the Liberian
government officials, foreign repre-
sentatives and residents and inquire
into any and every thing which
might assist them in formulating
comprehensive report to their home
government.
The present step Of the American
government is viewed with the ut
most satisfaction by both Great Brit
ain and France who have possessions
on either side of Liberia, as they be-
lieve they at last see an end Of the
border disorders and the unsatisfac-
tory condition generally which have
existed in the republic for some years
past. To Great Britain especially is
the appointment of the commission
acceptable because it will undoubted-
ly relieve her of taking possible dras-
tic action in collecting the bonded
Indebtedness which number Of her
citizens have coming to them from
the Liberian government. Probably
the only world power which might
find some cause for dissatisfaction in
Germany. This country practically
controls the foreign trade Of Liberia,
owns a perfect rubber monopoly and
rurs things commercially just about :
as she desires.
A great deal has been written and
said about Liberia since the passage
of the act by Congress in the early
part of March providing for the ap-
| poiutment of the commission and the
appropriation Of $4,000 to carry on
it's work at the instance Of former
| secretary Root, and especially has
this been true Of the country's nat
| ural mineral wealth and the vast
and valuable agricultural opportuni-
ties, both neglected by the inhabi-
tants primarily through sheer lazi-
ness and secondary because of the
lack of capital.
So rich was Liberia been said to
be by those who are in a position to
speak intelligcntly, that 1t is esti-,
mated the country cn'lld support a
population of 20,000,000 persons and
at the same time sustain a very
large export trade In coffee, tobacco,
cocoa, rubber, palm oil, palm kernels,
passave, mahogany, canwood and
other tropical products. At the pres
ent time Liberia has population OF
about 100000 persons Of which not
more than 10000 can be truly said
to be civilized, her foreign trade how
ers about 100000 annually, but
about which there IS no absolute GER
tainty and the administration of her
officials about the weakest, most In
capable and irresponsible magma
BILE.
Reports from the seventy odd white
persons in the country, including
number Of missionaries, confirm the
statements Of the absolute incompe-
tency of the courts, their corruption,
the corruption of the legislative
branches of the government, the GUS
tom officials and the chronic dread
of work from one end Of the land TO
the other. The schools, or rather the
few institutions which bear that
name are the worst possible excuses
! for places Of learning and the moral
ideas of the inhabitants seem to be
sinking to lower and lower eoo
year by year until in some localities
thew are not far removed from those
of tine aborigines with whom many
of the Liberians have inter-marrled.
A comparison of Liberia with the
British colony Of Sierra Leone and
the French livery coast colony, It's
neishbors, is really pathetic because
Of their vast superiority In every
respect, even though Liberia pos
sesses the richest territory OF ten
three, and is the source Of humllla-
ton to the small number OF men
in the republic who seem to be strug-
| -,:no ,1rooc+ ooainct fate to hold