New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-15

but he IL active IN politics or clamorOus for greater
school facties The nearest approach to animation Is
the action Of the recent State Convention Of colored
teachers OF Missouri pettioning Congress TO grant edu
catona aid TO the several States in proportion to the
lliteraey Of their population He generally appears to
be content with things they are aud to think it un
necessary to agate for something better when what he
has is better than he had before Although adher
ing to the Republican party with scarcely an exception.
he is not Republican leader among his race
in local affairs and he does not come forward as an Office
seeker he does in Indiana This may be accounted
for in the fact that the Republicans not in good
position to help him; and the numerical strength Of
the Democrats is such that they do not need his aid they
can indulge their old-time antpathes and make
lures for his friendship or his vote.
While the progress Of tho cOlOred in Missouri is
slow as the foregoing brief statement would indicate Il
must be conceded that the progress OF the white
also SLOW The catfish sristocracy" of the Usage,
ypying the jewellers the other streams OF the state,
content with patch" of twenty OF "bOttom
land" having breakfast for 365 days in succession
Gavin pOne" aud fried cat" came Into power 10y the
State This "eatfsh arstocracy" desires no schools,
churches, newspapers or railroads. Any change from
what II has been accustomed 10 meets with no favor
IL knows nothing Of politics but TO vote the Democratic
ticket, and 1t loves TO hate "nigger" and Yankee
payment Of taxes levied ia support of railroads and
sohoOhouses constructed against its viii is in favor OF
destruction Of court records bearing the evidences OF
debt has no respect for law religion or human ngRt,
catfish ariStocrat Is much poorer specimen OF the
human than the recently freed slave and although
the exsaves progress in Missouri is slow. he is getting
ahead much faster in all taa constitutes man aud use
full citizen than who delights to hate him II the
Missouri negro was surrounded by the same influences
that eneirce the black In Indiana, his oOndluon
would be better and his development more rapid but
from the superior natural ability previously noticed
possessed by the Indiana resdent could not be expect
There are no Trustworthy statistics either here or in
Indiana, OF births and deaths, by which the natural ~
decrease Of the oolored population can be de-
termined.
NEGROES IN WASHINGTON.
During the thousands of negroes from the adjon-
ing country In Maryland and Virginia gathered in the
City Of Washington. All kinds and conditions made an
sssemblage of ignorance, poverty and degradation
This great found many sympathzng friends but
also encountered many In the midst OF this ignor
ance ana poverty there was consequently much vice
and It difficult provide for the worthy whore there
were many mdeservng and so many Others ready TO
make abOrtiYe the efforts of the phlanthrOpst Much
has been DONE however for the negro population OF
Washington, and It is making as substantial progress rs
cOuld reasonably be expected under exstlng clTcuh
stances Statistics show that on the criminal dOckets OF
greater than that Of the whites. but 1t must also be ad
mited that the magnitude OF the crimes chargedis on the
average less II must be difficult TO compare the gradeof
morality with that Of equal number Of whites OF the
same condition IN eas regards property ana educnon'
as have done elsewhere more especially when we con-
slider that about onehrd toe population OF Washington
this locality decreasing IN numbers AID dete10ratng
in character. There are no figures to prove the first
statement and the second drawn from false reasoning
based on imperfect observation The deathrate shows
great mortality especially among very young children
but this clearly traceabe 20 causes which can be re-
moved DestitutiOn existing to great extent accounts
for much that is charged to retrOgressiOn and dnn
ishing numbers.
The Washington negro will not compare fayorably
with his brother In the West but he has less help here
aud more obstacles 10 overcome His surroundings are
not conducive to bis welfare and long the practice
Of crOwdng intO cities is continued he will make slow
progress i'm all that constitutes the man. The true policy
Of the negro Is avoid forming communities OF hs own
people to be much possible In contact with the
that respect and honor come 20 those who merit them
Washington, ID. c., Aug ., 1873. BARIOS.