El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-15
Liberia, the Negro Republic
WHITES CANNOT OWN PROPERTY:
SEEKING AID FROM AMERICA.

was.
Bishop Hartzell says that polygamy is
being preached and practiced, and that
RIGHTEOUSNESS is on the increase. W here
once Sabbath observance was as rigid
as in the sternest of New England towns,
q wide open day Is the order now.
Miss MahOney declares that once 100
civilized men of Liberia could meet and
defeat 1000 bushmen in a jungle fight,
but that now odds are about even. She
says that once the Liberians could build
as good boats as were 10 be bought
from England or Germany, but that now
few competent boat builders are TO be
found.
With the contempt the natives feel for
the civilized element it is little wonder
that the tribes are not enthusiastic In
embracing the Christian religion On
the other hand, Moslemism appeals to
them. as it does not carry with it SUCH
a strict code of morals.
Many of the tribes are falling in with
Mohammedanism, and this portion OF
Africa probably viii become a spiritual
battle-ground between the cross and the
crescent One advantage of the mission
airy is that the ambition of the natives
to learn to read and write brings their
children into the mission school and thus
under Christian Influence
The Muscular Kroos-
tribes the Kroos are perhaps the best
known They are the most muscular Of
all African tribes. For generations they
have served as sailors on the vessels
engaged in the African coast trade, and
enjoy the reputation of always possess
ing a steady nerve and a cool head.
They are paSsiOnately fond Of free
dom. and while slave trading was going
on in Africa they successfully resisted
all attempts to take them When an in
diyidual was captured, he invariably
took his life rather than go into serv
itude, consequently the Kroos soon were
found to be Improbable as slaves
They have a sort OF hereditary chief
who conducts their business with other
tribes and the Liberian government He
is & sort Of minister Of foreign rela
lions. The actual government of the
tribe is in the hands of the elders. whose
badge OF office is an iron ring worn
about the leg. They meet, and make the
laws governing the tribe, and act as
judges in the few cases that cannot be
settled by the individuals themselves
Another tribal officer is the president,
who keeps the symbols and seals OF the
government, and uses them in accord
ance with established regulations He
also conducts a sort of goth century
edition of the ancient city of refuge.
ANY tribesman accused of a crime may
flee TO his house for protection. and his
security is assured until he has been
proved guilty
Land is held by the tribes as q whole
but is parceled out TO actual tillers TO
be held by them long as cultivation
continues Once this ceases the tract
reverts to the government.
Monrovia, the Capital.
One who lands at Monrovia, the cap
ital Of Liberia, on a gala occasion may
Ill -
from the breechcloth bushman to the
polished university graduate. Some will
be dressed a Ia mode. others may have q
discarded silk hat and a hickory cot
ton shirt, and still others a threadbare
Prince Albert coat and bare legs. When
the natives come to town they usually
bring enough palm oil and other COM
modities TO pay the expenses of the trip.
Each tribe has its own peculiar dialect
and customs, but one thing that is COM
mon TO all is the welcome extended to
the periodical visitation of the driver ant
Tropical weather and tropical habits are
not conducive 10 extreme cleanliness in
household affairs. and nearly all Of the
huts which constitute the homes of the
poorer classes Of Liberia become infest-
ed with vermin-
big foraging expeditions. great hordes
of them visiting every place that prom
Uses juicy bug or other toothsome in
sect Therefore house cleaning in the
wilds of Liberia consists of no more
trouble than giving the driver ant ac-
cess to every nook and Granny.
Liberals President
The man who IS now president of Ii
IBERIA is the first one ever elected who
was not a preacher. He is Arthur Bar
clay. a full blooded West India negro.
Fighting Bob Evans tells an amusing
story Of a ceremonial visit he made to
Liberian ruler when he was a captain
in the navy While talking with the
president the swish of silk skirts was
heard and the gallant old sea dog in
stinctively arose A dusky woman came
in, and was presented as 'the first lady
of LIBERIA
Fighting Bob, acknowledging the in
PRODUCTION, said: ''Howdy, Auntfe. how
are you?"
The Liberian president was amused and
laughingly inquired: What part of the
south are you from?" Evans acknowl-
edged to having been born in Floyd
county. Virginia.
We'll that's a coincidence" remarked
the president, I'm from the Old Do
minion myself 1 was born in Dinwfddie
county"
TOmorrOW-The SargasSop Sea