Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1879-04-17
IN DEAD EARNEST.
The Exodus of the Negroes an Establish
ed Fact.
From the New Orleans Times. |

The sensation of the day is, of course, the
stampede of the negroes from the cotton re-
gion of the State. The effects Of this exodus
are already being felt; they are very serious
in their nature, and must be seriously re-
garded 1t Is no use for journals in this city
to cry ''poppycock'' and ''gammon. Would
it we're! The negroes, like flock Of fright
ened sheep, or "a drove of insane swine, are
making head-first to the river, and nothing
but the most determined efforts will prevent
the depopulatiOn OF the upper country. The
causes OF this fright have already been de-
scribed, and, when the character of the ne
gro is considered, these causes appear sutti-
ciently reasonable. An additional incentive
to action on their part comes from the favor
able report made of the prospects of tn ne
groes who have already left for Kansas. 1t
is we'll shown that the colored churches in
st. Louis have banded together and are fur
nishing the needed assistance In this work
the local committees are aided by the Anti
Slavery Society of New York. This society
has already sent large amount of money
and supplies of clothing to St. Louis, to be
distributed among the negroes who arrive
there The result is that the negroes are we'll
joicing towards Kansas. What is more, there
is a lawyer in this city who intends to go
shortly to Kansas to attend to the settlement
of the legal status of the negroes in that coun-
try. The negroes know of these things, and
therefore the publication thereof will not act
as an extra inducement to them, as some per-
sons seem to think. They would be pub
lished. however, were this not true, the OBJ
ject of the publication being to open the eyes
of the people of this State, and show them
what is about to happen. The trouble will
not he confined to one or two plantations, but
threatens to affect the whole State, and the
sugar region must suffer when the cotton
region is overgrown with cottonwood trees
and weeds. Not week ago came an exten-
sive planter to this city to arrange for ad-
vances on his coming crop. He made satis-
factory arrangements and was on the point
of returning home when there arrived tele-
gram telling him his hands had left. In con-
sequence, his arrangements had to be can
celed, and he is ruined man. Every day
the same scene is enacted in this city. The
cotton planter wishes advances; the commits
sion merchants ask what are his prospects.
What, indeed, are his prospects under the
present condition of things?
There seems to be hardly any remedy ex-
Cept, perhaps. WcIc SOulc VI tue ucu, VIII
have interests at stake, to 60 into the parishes
and persuade the negroes into better frame
of mind even this plan might fail, however,
as there are now men in those parishes
who have the ear of the negroes, and are
doing all they can to persuade them to leave
As last recourse, however, something must
be done to persuade the negroes to move into
the sugar region, where tranquility reigns,
and the laborer not only gains but receives
his hire. 1t is understood that an organiza-
ton is being made for this purpose, and that
everything will be tried to keep the negroes
from entirely quitting the State, for it is con-
ceded by the wise that the negroes are the
best field workers in existence, and that this
State will 60 to the dogs without them. This
is the truth, although it does hurt the pride of
the average politician to admit it. This great
change in the population of this Statei going
on now, and there is no time to lose, if
good result is to be obtained. The danger is
one of the present moment, and the remedy
must be applied at once or not at all. At such
a moment as this the people of Louisiana
must not ask to be called twice to look after
their interests the case has been clearly and
honestly stated-the next thing is action.
y