UNCLE SAM AS TUTOR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 412, 22 January 1909, Page 5

UNCLE SAM AS TUTOR.

! ; : \ iNEGRO REPUBLIC; COMMISSIONERS Foil LIBERIA. (nr TatEuttAru—riinss association—coptbight.) New York, January 20. : - The Hon. Elihu Root, Secretary of State, is asking the Senate for authority to send three commissioners to Liberia, on the Wost 'Coast of Africa, to assist ,in. strengthening the Government; ■•■'••; '. ■< '■■ , : "': ,: SECRETARY ROOT AND' DEPENDENT ; ' • REPUBLICS. :.-.;:-.■.■;:■ - Secretary Boot" has been successful in Us tutelage of the Central American .Republics, also in his active-participation in the administration of the island republics of Santo Domingo and Cuba; and he now seeks to extend the missionary work of the United States across the Atlantic.. Africa has no '. Monroe Dootrine, but this extension.would bo nevertheless notable. During 1908 Secretary Root's diplomatic activity resulted in the conclusion of no; fewer than 'soven arbitration treaties with other. States (including Great Britain), and he has just .added to his list the important Agreement with Japan. He is,a man of fine moral character and a brilliant administrator, and it is interesting to note that he will probably go , to the Senate and oontinue office in the new Taft Cabinet.-Mr. Taft recently succeeded in getting another candidate for the Senatorship to withdraw,. saying that he (Mr. Taft) was "very desirous" that his Administration should have "the benefit in the Senate of the", exceptionally.' Valuable assistance which Mr. Eoot can render by reason of his intimate knowledge" of'air the important matters.with which the Government has been Concerned' both at Home and' ibroad during the M'Kinley and Eposevelt Administrations." ■. ' The Republic of liboria had its origin in the efforts of. several colonisation ' societies of Europe and America to make permanent provision .'for freed American States. The: official language of the Government' is English. The Americo-Liberians have (according to a recent authority) an increasing • control ; or ' influence over'the natives of the- interior, where, hoiyever; there are several powerful aboriginal chiefs. The' number of Americo-Liberians is estimated at about 12,000; they seemed at one time to be dying out, but Intermixture with civilised aborigines and. the arrival of a few more American or West Indian immigrants is strengthening the English-speaking, "civilised," .Christianised negroes-on the:coast, who now approximate very muoh to the Creole population of Sierra. Leone.''. ■ ■ : ■ -