Liberia: Description, History, Problems - Frederick Starr

4. We reproduce Sir Harry Johnston’s table.[A] It appears to have been carefully made and deserves consideration. We happen to have another set of figures, however, which we can compare with his; we quote them from Ferguson’s Handbook of Liberia. In May, 1907, an amendment to the Constitution was submitted to the popular vote; 6579 votes were cast. Voters must be males of at least twenty-one years and owners of property; the population represented by them would surely be at least three times this number—which gives a minimum of 19,737. These figures, however, can not be depended upon without qualification, because no doubt “natives” were among the voters; in fact, when matters of importance, upon which public opinion is actively aroused, are voted on, the “brother from the bush” is mustered to the polls in considerable numbers. We copy the numbers voting at different settlements in column parallel to Sir Harry Johnston’s figures. Curious discrepancies occur, as for instance, cases where a larger number of votes were cast than Sir Harry’s figure, which is supposed to give the total number of population.

[A]

		(Johnston)		(Fergu- son)
SUMMARY OF POPULATION—AMERICO-LIBERIANS
Montserrado County—
Robertsport			400	76
Royesville			50	57
St. Paul’s River Settlements—
New Georgia		200		36
Caldwell		100		109
Brewerville		200		170
Clay-Ashland		400		484
Louisiana		100		81
New York		50
White Plains		300
Millsburg		250		17
Arthington		300		54
Careysburg		400		688
Crozierville		100		109
Bensonville		150		115
Robertsville		150
Harrisburg		250		89
			3250
Settlements on the Mesurado River—
Barnersville	-			31
Gardnersville		200
Johnsonville				215
Paynesville				387
Monrovia			2500	106
Junk River Settlements—
Schieffin and Powellville		225
Mount Olive		150
Marshall		125		55
Farmington River and Owen’s Grove		300		14
			800
Grand Bassa County, Grand Bassa Settlements—
Little Bassa		50
Edina		250		494
Hartford		50		74
St. John’s River		350
Upper Buchanan		400		1298
Lower Buchanan		600		310
Tobakoni		50
			1750
Coast: Grand Bassa County—
Grand Bassa to River Cestos			150
On River Cestos			50
Sinoe County, Sinoe Settlements—
Sino River		50
Lexington		100		63
Greenville		350		156
Philadelphia		125
Georgia		125
			750
Kru Coast—
Nana Kru	-		150
Setra Kru
Nifu
Sass Town
Garawe
Maryland County, Cape Palmas and Lower Cavalla—
Rocktown		100
Harper		900		256
Philadelphia		100
Latrobe		50
Cuttington		100
Half Cavalla		50
Hoffmann		50
Middlesex		50
Jacksonville		75
Bunker Hill		25
Tubman Town		100
New Georgia		25
Hillierville		25
			1650
Scattered in Interior
Kelipo, Maryland County	-		150
Boporo Region
Upper St. Paul’s, etc., etc.
			11,850
Owing to the use of different names, and the use of the same name in different ways, a complete comparison is impossible.

5. As vital statistics for Liberia are rare, and it is interesting to know how immigrants survived the acclimating fever, we subjoin a table taken from the African Repository.[B] It is interesting in various ways. The large number of deaths, nearly one-half the total of immigrants, is not strange in view of the fact that a large part of the persons sent were well on in years, or worn out through service. Such, and small children, were especially liable to die under the new conditions. Under the circumstances, the number of removals (presumably returns to the United States) is not large. Most interesting of all, however, is the column of viable births. How would it compare with the present? The impression the visitor receives is that the Americo-Liberian population is barely holding its own—if it is doing that.

[B]

Year	Ar- rivals	Deaths	Re- movals	Births, Liv.	Pop.
POPULATION MOVEMENT FOR LIBERIA (EXCLUSIVE OF MARYLAND) FROM 1820 TO 1843
1820	86	15	35	—	36
1821	33	7	8	—	54
1822	37	14	5	3	75
1823	65	15	8	6	120
1824	103	21	8	3	200
1825	66	21	3	6	248
1826	182	48	6	3	379
1827	234	29	14	6	576
1828	301	137	24	12	638
1829	247	67	25	20	813
1830	326	110	25	20	1,024
1831	165	83	12	30	1,117
1832	655	129	83	13	1,573
1833	639	217	122	44	1,917
1834	237	140	31	33	1,016
1835	183	83	32	48	2,132
1836	209	145	13	47	2,230
1837	76	141	6	58	2,217
1838	205	185	12	56	2,281
1839	56	135	10	55	2,247
1840	115	180	6	40	2,216
1841	86	100	9	78	2,271
1842	229	91	15	35	2,429
1843	19	85	2	29	2,390