Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/547

LEFT LIBERAL REPUBLICAN PARTY 471 LIBERTY contrai-y, desiring to root some of them up instead of increasing their efficiency. The Liberals were divided on the question of the Boer War (1899-1901) and formed two wings of the party. There have been other divisions on public ques- tions. After the Peace of Versailles and in subsequent elections the Liberals lost heavily to the Conservatives and Labor Parties. LIBERAL REPUBLICAN PARTY, a party organized in 1872 by Republicans who were dissatisfied with General Grant's first administration as Presi- dent. At a convention held by them in Cincinnati, in that year, Carl Schurz was elected its president, and a platform adopted demanding civil service reform, local self-government, and universal amnesty, recognizing the equality of all men, recommending the resump- tion of specie payment, etc. Horace Greeley and B. Gratz Brown were named for President and Vice-Presi- dent. This platform and these nom- inations were adopted by the regular Democratic convention of that year, but dissensions arose, and other candidates were nominated, the result being that the Republican nominee. General Grant, was elected by an overwhelming ma- jority and the Liberal Republican Party was thereafter practically dead. LIBERIA, a negro republic on the W. coast of Africa, founded in 1822 by liber- ated American slaves under the auspices of the American Colonization Society, and recognized as an independent state in 1847. It lies between the rivers Cavally and Manna, has 350 miles of seaboard, and extends some 200 miles inland; area about 40,000 square miles. The soil is fertile, well- watered, and highly adapted to the cultivation of all tropical products. The chief crop is coffee, increasing quantities of which are grown from year to year and exported, other exports being palm-oil, ground- nuts, caoutchouc, and ivory. The cli- mate is very unhealthful for Europeans. British weights, measures, and moneys are mostly in use. The English lan- guage predominates among the govern- ing class, churches and schools are pro- vided, and civilization is making rapid strides among the natives. The popula- tion consists of some 20,000 immigrants from the United States and their descend- ants, and about 1,500,000 natives; Mon- rovia is the capital. The government of the republic is on the model of the United States. In consequence of boun- dary troubles and other difficulties, the Government of Liberia appealed to the United States for help in 1908. Since that year the customs have been ad- ministered by an international commit- tee headed by an American. Liberia de- clared war against Germany in August, 1917. In April, 1918, a German warship bombarded Monrovia, sinking the "Presi- dent Grant," a Liberian gunboat, and killing 10 people. LIBERTINE, a Flemish sect of Anti- nomians, who called themselves "Spir- ituals." They passed into France, where they were patronized by Margaret of Navarre, sister of Francis I. They held that, as God was the author of all human action, no human action could be evil; that religion consisted in union the y^ay^ey ^ Bonds LIBERTY LOAN POSTER, BY ASHE with God by contemplation, and that any one who had attained to this could act as he pleased. Calvin wrote strongly against them. LIBERTY, a state of freedom or liberty, abridged only by the restrictions and regulations established under the form of laws for the protection and in- terests of the nation, society, or state. It is a state of exemption from the ar- bitrary will of others, secured by estab- lished laws, by which each member is protected against injury on the part of others. Liberty of the press, the free right and power to publish whatever one pleases, subject only to punishment for abuse of