The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-03-24

THE EXPERIMENT OF LIBERIA.
Nearly . century ago the United
States assisted in inaugurating an ex-
pertinent to determine the capacity of
the negro for self government. Then
the promoters Of the enterprise, or
rather their descendants, promptly
forgot all about it. Now the under
taking is being forced into public
notice again by the call for help that
comes from Liberia (Liberty), the
black republic which was launched
under such favorable circumstances.
The African model of the United
States is reported to be in . deplorable
condition. So urgent have the appeals
from the West coast become that q
commission has been named to look
into the matter and see if our protege
in the Dark Continent cannot be start
ed again along the pathway Of nation
al prosperity.
If the negro fails to achieve success
n nation builder in Liberia he Ger
tainly cannot complain that he did not
have an suspicious start. No less q
person than Uncle Sam was one of the
sponsors. The other was q powerful
body of Americans which had IN
enthusiastic ambition to do something
for the cause of the negro. Nations
usually are of slow growth. 1t is not
often that one springs forth full fedged
Is did Minerva. Liberia is such .
nation. It was organized with . pur-
pose and to exploit an idea. The pur-
pose was to provide home for freed
slaves; the idea to prove that the
negro was capable of governing him.
self: The National Colonization 60
ciety, which had this purpose and this
idea, was formed by Robert Finley in
1916. Henry Clay was made preei-
dent. Government cooperation was
sought and secured. Africa was
selected rs the natural place for such
an experiment. Native princes coded
to the society . strip Of land on the
western coast below the Equator. One
idea was that slaves who were recap
tured from traders might be taken
there, either to find homes or make
their way from there back to the wilds
from which they we're abducted.
For three years the project Ian.
guished. Then, in 1919, the United
States having passed a Law forbidding |
the slave trade, Congress authorized
President Monroe to send . proper
person or persons to the African coast |
to receive and return the recaptured
slaves. An appropriation of 500, 900 |
was made for this purpose. Then the |
Colonization society collected . num-
Der of freed slaves and settled them in |
the promised land. The first perman-
ent settlement was at Cape Mesurado. |
An accounting was taken by the Unit
ed States government in 1880. This
showed that each of the 1900 recap
tured negroes returned to aboriginal
jungles had cost this country . little
more than g. 900. The United States
quit. As . philanthropist it was too
expensive.
Those we're days, however, when
men we're willing even to spend money
to show their love for the negro, and
the Colonization society stuck to its
task. A mail order constitution was
sent over in 1889 for the negroes to
adopt The Liberians began to run
things under this constitution, their
white patrons in America retaining the
right Of veto. Real progress WAS
made. Eight years after the constitu-
lion was put into effect the Coloniza-
lion society pulled down the American
Gag, gave the negroes it, blessing and |
he reins Of government and leff.
That was in 18E. England recog-
ai1ed Liberia q . nation the follow.
ng year. Other European govern