The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-01-20
OUR MERCHANTS
SHOULD WAKE UP
England and Germany Holding Trade
of Liberia.
AMERICANS SHORT SIGHTED
An Interesting Treatise on Various
Subjects by Our Special Wash
inston Correspondent Some
Pensions Increased.
(By Cyrus Foss Stoddard.)

/
Washington, d. G. Jan. 18.--Owing
to an unexpected vacancy in the rep.
resentation from the Sixth district
at the United Steates Naval Academy
at Annapolis, Mr.. Kendall, in response
to request from the Secretary of the
Navy, has just recommended Mr..
George R. Grant, who is now attend.
| Ing school at Ames. Mr.. Grant will be
expected to appear for examination
on the third Tuesday in April at one
of the cities in Iowa designated by
the department.
81
You are doubtless familiar through
the, press dispatches, of the recent
visit TO Liberia of the American
Commission and of the opening of a
new era liz the history of that little
black republic as result of the en-
thusiasm and confidence created by
of the black people. When l was in
Liberia some months ago, my atten-
ton was directed by Minister Lyon
to the fact that, among the more
than 100000 aboriginal population
of the republic, as we'll as among the
10000 or more Americo-Liberians
there is diffused a strong feeling of
regard for the American people and
an ever increasing desire for Amer
lean goods.
The more or less energetic and CIV
ilized inhabitants of the country, COM
prising the American negroes and
their descendants (called America
Liberians), of course are not as spar
ing in their wearing apparel and the
comforts of civilization as the thous-
ands of natives in the hinterland, and,
consequently, are demanding to a
greater extent each year, such Ameri-
can goods as medicines, shoes, dry
goods, brooms, tools, ladies' clothing,
kerosene furniture and haberdashery.
Here is an opportunity for pro-
g:essive American firm to establish an
agency at Monrovia, where the pro-
fits, not only from direct sales, but
from exchanging the goods for Liber-
ian products, such as coffee, cocoa,
rubber, ginger, etc, are very tempt
ing. For example you can readily get
$3.50 for a pair of $500 shoes and Csc
to soc for a gallon of kerosene oil /;
other goods bringing from so to 100
per cent above the invoice price.
q
Some years ago England loaned
Liberia 100000 for the purpose of
exploiting the country, developing the
hinterland, building roads and estab-
fishing a bank, taking as a guarantee
the customs of the country to be sup
eTvised and collected by an English
official. Minister Lyon will tell you
that the money has been wisely
spent; that roads are already under
construction, and the nucleus of a
bank started; that President Barclay,
one of the most delightfully."- entertain
ing colored men whom l have ever
met, has most efficiently supervised
the expenditure of the English loan;
that the customs of the country have
been gradually increasing, prompting
the President, in his annual message,
to assure the people that the loan
would be paid and that the prospects
for the commercial future of the re-
public seemed brighter than at any
period in its history.
But German merchants are estab-
lished there with branch houses and
are operating a line of steamers to
and from West Africa, stopping at
Monrovia, the capital; English capt.
tai is developing the resources of the
country and likewise operating a line
of steamships which stop regularly
once a month at the port of entry;
France, while not interested CONNER
cially to the extent of either England
or Germany. is accused of having de-
signs upon the rich productive land
In the far interior adjacent to the
French Sudan; and Great Britain,
from her colony of the West, Sierre
Leone, is anxiously awaiting an op-
portunity to aid in threatening the
integrity of the republic. Meanwhile
American merchants and business
men, failing to realize the advant-
ages of this market for American
goods, the superiority of which is
evidenced by the increasing demand
on the part of the Anerico-Liberians,
are willing to allow their German and
English brothers a monopoly of the
business.