or four months, and ginger and sugar-cane once a year. From these two
commodities an income at once is had. All of the above fruits and
products are obtainable from neighbors while yours are maturing. This
is the condition of the farmer. But should you go out as a
professional or business man you have a wide field and little
competition. Any educated person will find ready employment by
individuals or the government and a remuneration in keeping with the
vocation. Citizenship is the result of a deed to your land and this is
obtained at your option; and citizenship means an election to any
office save that of President and Vice-President. It requires a
residence of five years to be elected to one of these offices.
Attorney Wright, Professor Stevens, Rev. Frazier and others filled
national positions before they had been citizens five years. The
government needs strong men to assist in running the Republic, and
such, if loyal, are always welcomed. The merchant of Liberia receives
the greatest profit of any merchant on the face of the globe--not less
than one hundred per cent on the purchasing price--and a hundred and
fifty per cent on the selling price. Rent is cheap, taxes low, and
duties moderate, so that everything is in favor of the merchant.
The scientist finds the widest field imaginable--silver, gold,
precious stones, herbs, coal, iron and such articles are as plentiful
as the leaves on the trees--they never fall. All that is needed is a
scientific eye to see these things.
The zoologist could make a fortune in one year catching insects and
shipping them to colleges in America, England, Germany and France.
Why so many of our young people, educated and refined, will don white
aprons and stand behind chairs and watch other people eat is a
problem, if there is one, that needs to be solved. Many of our
educated girls, when they can work on people's heads and feet, and
present a card with some big word on it, as "chiropodist," which means
foot-cleaner, are perfectly satisfied. All of this must be done, but
it does not require a knowledge of Latin, Greek, French, German, and
all the sciences to do this successfully; yet it is the highest
ambition of many of our young people, while Africa invites them to
higher walks.
In America cotton is the staple in many of the Southern states. The
farmer plants and grows this staple to obtain clothing and the
necessaries of life, and, if possible, lay by a dollar for a rainy
d
|