El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-30
Liberia Wants
TOBO9rOWFiUe
MiIIiOnD0Har;S
Disintegrating Black Nation
Pleads For American
Cash F or Schools.

Washington, j.. c.. Nay 3o.-Repre-
sentatives Of the African republic OF
Liberia. which was founded by amer
fcans and settled by American negroes
during the administration OF president
Monroe, are now in Washington try
ing to obtain a loan Of s5.oo0eoo
through the state department
The Ldberians want 10 develop their
country. and they want to save 1t
from being absorbed into the neigh
boring French and British colonies,
a process which has been going on
for some years. and has already great
ly reduced the Liberian territory.
you are responsible for my exist
ence." says Liberia TO the United
states. What are you going 10 do
II The theory OF self determination
were TO be applied literally, not only
Liberia but the whole Of africa would
come in for consideration mere ~ ~
10000 900 Africans and only 10000. GOO
of them live under their own govern
ments The others live in various
European colonies. Liberia and Aoys-
sinia are the only independent eoun-
tries in Africa
Africans Dependent.
OF course. a large percentage Of the
Africans are incapable Of self deter
mination and of self government. II
they are TO learn civilization they
must live. for many generations, un-
der some sort of European superyl-
sion. whether that supervision be
called q pr0tectorate- a mandatory OF
This relation is equally
necessary to the civilized nations
1
Of the world are located in the tenn
perate zone, and nearly all Of the I'M
civilized ones are in the tropics. CIV
illzation cannot get along without
products Of the tropics America cam
not get these things out Of the triples
unless order is preserved there and
modern methods OF production ap-
piled
The civilized northern peoples being
stronger, the uncivilized OF partly civ
lized tropical peoples are generally
exploited This IS unjust, of course
less wei treated, the natives become
inefficient and gradually die out
Before we bought the island Of ST.
Croix, IN the Caribbean, the Danes
had reduced its population 50 percent
by paying starvation wages. We are
causing constant troubles and unrest
and producing a high death rate in
Porto Rico By countenancinE the pay
meut OF starvation wages there Eng-
land the most successful colonizer in
the world. tries hard tofgiye the na-
tives a square deal because It pays
Liberia Is in bad shape. but the re-
public still exists Considering the
difficulties under which Il has srrug-
gled. that fact alone shows that the
Liberians have some capacity for self
government
II you are sincere in what you say
about the rights Of weak, peoples,
says Liberia 10 the great powers Il
offer you fine chance to practice
what you preach"
An active advocate Of the Lfberian
loan is Lieut. William II. York. an
American negro army officer. who,
before the war, spent four years in
the interior Of Liberia as commander
Of the Liberiau frontier force He is
lne Of the few Americans who really
know something about Liberia and
has toured the east and south speak
ne in its behalf and has aroused
interest
The Liberian frontier force was a
latire organization, led by few
American negro officers. as a guar Z
.ntee for the stability Of the country I
While paying off small loan made Z
o Liberia several years ago Officers I
u the force state that the disorgani-
alton Of the country is largely due to /
he aggressiOns Of the French and Z
English, who control all the territory /
ordering Liberia
John L Morris. secretary Of interior I
nd education in Liberia who IS now 4
n the United States. believes that the [
main obstacle 10 progress is the iguo- I
ance Of the natives, and particularly 1
4 those natives living far inland. 4
IT. Morris explains that II the United I
tates grants the requested loan. the ]
major part Of II VIII be used for pur-
'oses OF education and internal de- I
There are many mission schools 4
tut for the national development IL /
would be Tar more satisfactory TO ]
ion There is a college at Monrovia 4
which is supported partly by the gov
rnment and partly by gifts. and an Z
.griculturaI school which needs a 1
-reat deal IN the way OF buildings 3
and teachers
Although the expectation OF prod .
lets which grow Wild in the iungles j
.as always been the chief source Of /
wealth in Liberia. there is great /
opportunity for agriculture Liberia i
s rich in natural resources. oil palm I
s leading product. and others are 4
'iassara fiber. calahar beans and 4
vory. Coffee, cacao and rubber could +
le cultivated The mineral deposits 4
# the country have hardly been &
ouched-
Transportation presents a serious }
lr0blem- There is great need for I
rood trails and roads from the inte- D
Tor 70 the coast, and for improved I.
facilities.