Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-25

fianhed as n reparation for the seizure
oi itS natives an slaves. and an expert
'neht In transplanting far flung race
once more In their native soil. the be-
of Liberia had many contact
points with early American history.
1t VIII be recalled that the movement
Tor emancipating slaves had its begin
nings year after the Declaration or
independence was elgned, with the aboli-
ton OF slavery in Vermont, and that, as
early as 1908, the importation Of African
slaves into this country was prohibited.
Meantime George Washington having set
the example, many slave owners made
provision In their wills for freeing their
human property.
Thus 1t came about that the freed
mems problem antedated the Civil War
by half century and Henry Clay pre-
sided over meeting In Washington,
ID. C., In 1916 to form n colonization So
ciety. Bushrod Washington was the first
president Of that society. formally or
ganized on New Year day In 1917, and
after several expeditions had met with
through epidemics and
opposition to natives, the Rev. Jehudi
Ashmun, in 1921, founded Liberia.
THE countrys name, signifying Land
OF the Free and that of the principal
city, Monrovia, in honor of the then
President of the United States, are vari-
ously attributed to the Rev. Ralph r.
Gurley, Ashmun's friend and biographer,
who drafted the first Liberian constitu-
ton, and to Robert G. Harper of Balti-
more, Md, a patron of the colonization
within a decade Of Ashmun's arrival
the American population had risen to
nearly 1900. daily newspaper had been
started, and a code Of laws was in prac-
tical operation. Originally the Portuguese
and the Dutch had sought gold, pepper,
and slaves from Liberia. To-day. as
then, It has vast, undeveloped resources,
both mineral and agricultural. But be-
fore the war 1t exported goodly quanti-
ties of rubber palm oil. fibre, cocoa,
coffee, ivory and spices.
Liberia is asserted to have one Of the
hottest climates in the world, and few
areas have more rain. The yearly fall
to nearly 10 feet Of water.
The colonists declared Liberia an in
dependent republic in 1s47. and 1t was
recognized within few years by nearly
all countries except the United States.
Previously there had been split. and
now the southern county Of
the republic, was a rival state to Liberia.
In had its inception from a second coloni-
zation society from the State of Mary
land. in the United States.
Ten years ago President Roosevelt
sent a commission to Liberia to investi-
gate conditions. That commissions re-
port resulted in negotiations for an ad-
justment Of Liberals debt. and placing
of United States officials in charge of
Liberian customs collections. The fol-
lowing year the American government.
acting in agreement with England, France
and Germany, assumed supervision of
finances, military organizations and
boundary questions.
German merchants offended the chief
executive of the republic in 1912 and out
of this incident a quarrel developed which
resulted in two German gunboats fore
ing an apology from the president. But
the president retaiated by giving Eng
lish traders special privileges and in the
world war Liberia cast her lot with the
allied nations. The government Of the
republic is modelled after that of the
United States.
Now that the stream of colonsts has
long since stopped, the future Of Liberia
lies in the natives, ranging from bar
barity to the verge of civilization, but
practically all splendid raw material for
civflizing influences.
There are no pygmies in Liberia, and
some tribes, such as the Mandingos, are
fine physical specimens, with a pro-
nounced European cast OF features
There are quaint customs among the
natives. many Of them bearing simi-
larity to civilized practices. such as the
Mandingo method of counting by presents
which, If accepted. signify a tacit con-
sent to further attentions. and the wear
ing of mourning bands, not upon the
sleeve. for the native garb is often ex-
ceedingly scant, but around the fingers
or about the head. These bands are
made of dried grasses or palms
"Other practices are not so harmless
Especially Objectionable, some travellers
report, are the initiation ceremonies
when the young folk reach marriageable
age. These are conducted by the he
bogeys' and 'she-bogeys respectively
for the sexes and while they include some
instruction in duties of fatherhood and
motherhood, often are orgiastic in char
aCter"