GOVERNMENT BY NEGROES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2407, 23 January 1909, Page 10 (Supplement)

GOVERNMENT BY NEGROES.

Attention lias been called anew to the wretchedly governed Republic of Liberia, that’melancholy example of tiie failure ol negroes to organise- a decent state. The neighboring State of Sierra Leone has been put to :oiuo expense and bother by the absence ol any control b.v the Government ol Monrovia, over the natives near tho border, but Englishmen have suffered in other ways. Our traders at Cape Palmas arc at the mercy ol ignorant, brutal and corrupt officials, idy last year two instances occurred- in which their tyranny caused tho death of two Englishmen.. For striking a drunken official who .interfered with his work an agent was thrown into a foul dungeon, where lie died iu three months time. Still worse was the fate of a merchant who accused a native firm, 'which included the local Chief Justice, of stealing mahogany logs. Not content with imposing an enormous fine, the natives rained stones, bottles and bullets into his bungalow, and finally he died under very suspicious circumstances. It is alleged that Berlin has been supporting the Liberian Government’in their efforts to avoid annexation by England. It is only to the Germans on the snot; to say that they have supported the English traders in every way., 'and would like nothing better than to sec the existing corrupt government dispossessed. —Loudon ‘‘Standard. ’’