Evening star., 1909-02-17
WHAT'S A|l|NG LIBERIA
Nation on Point of Lapsing
Into Barbarism.
FINANCES IN BAD WAY
Administration Unable to Keep
Order Upon Borders.
CONGRESS UNWILLING TO AID
Ignores Roots Recommendations for
Commission to Devise What Is
Best to Be Done.
CONGRESS UNWILLING TO AID
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
| Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
| There IS danger Of revolution in Lii
IBERIA, caused by fear on the part of
the American element of the population
that President Barclay is trying to ar
range with Great Britain for a protector
ate, and thereby relinquish the independ-
ence and destroy the integrity of the
country.
There are only about seventy white citi-
zens in Liberia, most of them English
men, employed by the government, and
Germans, who are engaged in business.
A British man-of-war has been sent to
protect them. 1t is expected that an
American man-of-war will be sent over
the NIonrovia also.
Nation Is Demoralized.
The government and the entire country
have been in demoralized condition for a
long time. There has been great deal
of disorder officials could not suppress
Warnings have been received from botn
England and France, which have threat
ened to interfere unless the government
showed a better disposition and ability 10
keep the peace.
The financial conditions of the country
are deplorable. The speaker of the house
of representatives, an eX-American con-
Wet, was recently expelled from the coun-
try for malfeaSance in office.
Liberia stretches about $50 miles along
the African coast and about 300 miles into
the. interior, with the British colony OF
Sierra Leone on the west and the French
colony of the Ivory coast on the east.
May Lapse Into Barbarism.
Both these European colonies are order
ly, prosperous and rapidly developing
their natural resources, whereas Liberia
has been going backward for many years
Unless something is done to improve the
government and introduce a more capable
element. the population will soon relapse
into barbarism.
These conditions are naturally the cause
of great concern in the French and Eng
fish neighboring colonies. President Bar
clay, In his message to congress In Janu-
airy year ago, explained at length that
both the British and the French govern
ments had expressed regret at the dis
orderly condition. of affairs. the financial
situation and the ineffective adminiStra-
| tion of police and justice, and had eX-
! pressed the hope that the necessary re-
| forms would be Immediately introduced.
President Barclay also stated that he
| had received assurances from both the
French and the British governments that
they had no territorial designs upon Lii
IBERIA, but could not permit present condi-
tions to continue.
Measures of Reform.
These warnings were followed by the
organization of a police force to keep
order, under an Englishman named Capt
Cadell. In August last the customs serv-
ice and the treasury department were
placed under the control of Englishmen
sent down by the Foreign Bondholders
Association of London, which has super
vision of the Liberian debt.
The French government protested
against the wholesale engagement of Eng
lishmen and demanded the employment
of an equal number of Frenchman in Of
ticial positions. The people objected to
the employment of Englishmen because
they construed 1t as the first step toward
a prOtectorate by that government.
AS nearly all the civilized population of
Liberia are American negroes. or the
sons of American negroes. they prefer
Americans, or the subjects of some of the
smaller European countries, if there are
to be foreigners employed in official po-
sitions. But the Liberans owe half a mill
lion dollars to British bankers, who, under
the terms of the loan, claim the right to
supervise the collection of the revenues.
Finances in Bad Way.
The finances of the country are so de-
moralized that the revenues and expendi-
lures are not accurately known by any
one. They approximate 100000 year.
The revenues are derived from customs
duties and royalty of 3 cents pound
on the exports of rubber. which are
under the control of corporation known
as the Monrovian Company.
The officials are corrupt, the courts are
dc based, ignorant and subject to brfbes;
<lfS
honest AS a missionary wrote the Sec
retary of State not long ago:
mo words can eXaggerate the Wretched
condition of Liberia. and it's growing
worse. The deterioration of the race is
apid, and the contrast between condl-
tiOns In Sierra Leone and other English
colonies in Africa is astonishing.
THE greatest blessing would be that
Of becoming colony of England, which
has been remarkably successful in deal
ing with the Africans Otherwise the peo-
pie OF Liberia will soon relapse into bar
barsm."
The population of Liberia Is nearly
1000 600, but, according to the States
mems Year Book. only about 10000 are
civilized. The remainder are semi-civil-
lied. Although the country is enormously
rich in agriculture, In forests and In min
erals. all resources are neglected. the peo-
pie will not work, foreign capital will not
take the chances of investment on ac-
count of the bad government, and moth
ing can be done without capital.
Germans Control Trade.
The commercial interests are almost en-
tirely in the hands of Germans, who cul-
tivate several large farms. buy all the
rubber that is offered for export and ship
whatever coffee, cotton and cocoa is pro-
duced: but 1t is all of an inferior quality
for lack of cultivation.
: frr oric
terpriseS are beyond comparison. but
nothing can be done without capital The
Germans control the import trade which
amounts to about $4,000 year.
Although England has given the United
States the most definite assurances that
it has no designs upon the independence
or the integrity of Liberia, Mr.. Bryce. the
British amba ssador. has impressed upon