The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-09-19
WATSON ATTACKS BIG
u. S. LOAN FOR LIBERIA
THE GEORGIA SENATOR CON-
DENNIS PROPOSAL TO LEND
$5,OOO,oOO TO REPUBLIC.
WOULD BE $1OO PER CAPITA
No Likelihood of Its Ever Being Re-
paid, and Would Rather Give 1t to
Negroes of Georgia and Alabama.
Wear Only Palm Leaf and Smile.

WASHINGTON, d. C.-Declaring
that the time had come for the Unit
ed States government to cease being
the money lender OF the world Senator
Watson, OF Georgia, in a speech to-
day before the senate severely de-
nounced the proposed $5000,000 Lii
berian loan, now before the chamber,
asserting that in his opinion there was
no moral obligation for the act as
claimed by its supporters.
The Liberian loan, Senator Watson
said, would set a dangerous precedent
for the government at this time. He
further stated that there was little
likelihood OF the loan, if granted, ever
being paid.
Il really would like to see what SEN
ator would venture to say that he
honestly expected that the Liberian
loan would ever be repaid" Senator
Watson said. Nobody ever expects
it to be repaid What is more, Libe-
ria will not get enough OF that money,
which, if invested in meat would not
make frying pan smell across this
chamber"
Refers to Book.
Referring then to a book Subject"
Senator Watson pointed out that the
population OF Liberia was reported at
$4,000, consisting mostly of indigenous
negro races.
1--WE are going to lend $5,000,000
to $4,000 negroes in Liberia. | would
rather give it to the negroes of Wash
ington city, or to those i'll Alabama
and Georgia. whose needs for it are
much greater.
In Liberia the negro does not have
to wear anything in particular except
palm leaf and pleasing expression
OF countenance Five million dollars
to be given to $4,000 negroes.
That is a hundred dollars piece for
every negro German, every negro
German woman, every negro German
child in Liberia, and what i'll the name
OF God would they do with the money
if they got it? Suppose a negro fami-
ly in Liberia consists OF an average
OF five, there would be a gilt of $500
to every negro family in Liberia"
Senator Watson observed that the
negro families OF the District OF Co
lumbia would have somewhat Of a
jubiant time if given this amount OF
money.
There was some misrepresentation
about the origin of Liberia, he said,
Philanthropist's Dream.
apparently the attempt has been
made to impress congress with the
idea that Liberia was founded by the
government of the United States,
kind Of an adopted child for which we
are responsible.
Nothing can be further from the
truth Liberia was dream of philan
thropists long before the civil war.
There never was a time when she
could support herself. She was always,
from year to year, supported and
maintained by the colonization socie-
ties, and when the societies went in
despair she went into debt to Euro
pean nations and to American hnan-
ciers. and the real essence OF this So
called Liberian loan is to pay off her
debts, and to pay them to American
and European hnanciers."
Besides setting a dangerous prece-
dent. this is no time to take more
money out of the peoples treasury
and give it to a foreign country SEN
ator Watson said.
What excuse can we give and what
will the public say when we tell them
that one of the last things we did was
TO give $20,000,000 to bring iii some
more desert lands on the other side OF
the continent and give $5,000000 to a
lot OF bucaneering hnanciers, Euro
peans and Americans who loaned
money to Liberia"
Denounces Strike Injunction.
In another speech delivered by Sen
ator Watson the Georgian denounced
the governments course in the rail-
road strike. He declared it had set out
to settle economic questions which
properly should be discussed and dis
posed OF by congress. He denounced
the strike injunction, saying it had
been given by a life termer federal
Judge" and that it was never intended
that this country should be governed
by life termers."