Arthur Barclay (1904-1911) had already served in three cabinet positions before coming to the presidency; he had also been a professor in the Liberia College and for some years had been known as the leader of the bar in Monrovia.  It was near the close of his second term that the president’s term of office was lengthened from two to four years, and he was the first incumbent to serve for the longer period.  In his first inaugural address President Barclay emphasized the need of developing the resources of the hinterland and of attaching the native tribes to the interests of the state.  In his foreign policy he was generally enlightened and broad-minded, but he had to deal with the arrogance of England.  In 1906 a new British loan was negotiated.  This also was for L100,000, more than two-thirds of which amount was to be turned over to the Liberian Development Company, an English scheme for the development of the interior.  The Company was to work in cooeperation with the Liberian Government, and as security for the loan British officials were to have charge of the customs revenue, the chief inspector acting as financial adviser to the Republic.  It afterwards developed that the Company never had any resources except those it had raised on the credit of the Republic, and the country was forced to realize that it had been cheated a second time.  Meanwhile the English officials who, on various pretexts of reform, had taken charge of the barracks and the customs in Monrovia, were carrying things with a high hand.  The Liberian force appeared with English insignia on the uniforms, and in various other ways the commander sought to overawe the populace.  At the climax of the difficulties, on February 13, 1909, a British warship happened to appear in the waters of Monrovia, and a calamity was averted only by the skillful diplomacy of the Liberians.  Already, however, in 1908, Liberia had sent a special commission to ask the aid of the United States.  This consisted of Garretson W. Gibson, former president; J.J.  Dossen, vice-president at the time, and Charles B. Dunbar.  The commission was received by President Roosevelt and by Secretary Taft just before the latter was nominated for the presidency.  On May 8, 1909, a return commission consisting of Roland P. Falkner, George Sale, and Emmett J. Scott, arrived in Monrovia.  The work of this commission must receive further and special attention.

President Barclay was succeeded by Daniel Edward Howard (two long terms, 1912-1919), who at his inauguration began the policy of giving prominence to the native chiefs.  The feature of President Howard’s administrations was of course Liberia’s connection with the Great War in Europe.  War against Germany having been declared, on the morning of April 10, 1918, a submarine came to Monrovia and demanded that the French wireless station be torn down.  The request being refused, the town was bombarded.  The excitement of the day was such as has never been