The Black Republic — Liberia 



339 



Entrance to a Native Town, Liberia 



vaders and the native blacks. During 

 the last ten years, however, there has 

 been a marked advance in good relations 

 between the American settlers and their 

 native subjects, as many of them may 

 fairly be called. The wise policy of 

 President Barclay has greatly promoted 

 this good feeling since 1904. He has 

 been able to assemble at different times 

 at the capital chiefs, or their representa- 

 tives, from almost all parts of Liberia, 

 even from the Mandingo districts, just 

 beyond the limits of the coast belt. 

 Curiously enough, one example of this 

 mild rule of black by black is that the 

 white man in Liberia is everywhere re- 

 ceived with great friendliness, because 

 he is not associated in the minds of the 



natives with anything like conquest or 

 oppression. 



ITow far the original experiment will 

 succeed the next twenty years will per- 

 haps indicate. The negroes of American 

 origin who have settled in Liberia have 

 not, as a general rule, been able to stand 

 the climate very much better than Euro- 

 peans, and, as a rule, they have not been 

 able to rear very large families of chil- 

 dren. Yet it seems to me, writes Sir 

 Harry Johnston, as though Liberians of 

 the new generation born in the country 

 are beginning to take hold, but this is 

 partly due to the increasing and, I think, 

 very sensible practice of intermarriage 

 with women of the fine, vigorous, indig- 

 enous races. 



