The New York herald., 1879-08-05
THE NEGRO EXODUS.

HOW IT IS REGARDED BY CONGRESSMAN
HooKER-THE WORK OF PoLLTIcIANs--co CON-
DrTIoN OF THE SOUTHERN NEGRO TO-DAY.
Colonel Charles f. Hooker the one-armed demo-
cratic Congressman from Mississippi. visited
by HERALD reporter at the New York Hotel yester-
day. AS Colonel Hooker was before and during the
war one of the largest shareholders in the South,
and numbers of ex-slaves are on his plantation in
Mississippi to-day, his views on the cause and effect
OF the continued migration of tho colored people
from the South will be of interest. In response to a
query Colonel Hooker said:-"Large numbers of
colored people have left my section or the Staethe
section of country which lies between Vicksburg
and Jackson, the capital of Mississippi Many of
them have been duped into going away by circulars
distributed among them. One OF these circulars had
printed on the head. Show to white man." and
informed the recipient that tho government would
give each Immigrant to Kansas sixty acres OF land
and that plenty OF work could be found the rail
roads at 81 80 IA day."
''But the colored people complain Of their politi-
cal treatment. and say they denied educational
advantages for their children and not sufficiently
remunerated for their labor" said the reporter
"Ihat is mistake said Colonel Hooker. "Mis-
ssspp denies of her citizens their full politi
Cal rights. AS for schools. the colored people have
the same advantages the whites. They have nice
schoolhouses all over the State. and they ap-
portioned i'll school moneys not an amount in pro-
portion to the amount of taxes they pay. but in
proportion to their numbers. which in my district
Is about fifteen negroes to one white person..
"What wages do they receiver
'They are not paid wages but lease land generally
some six or eight club together. One of my tenants
leased few raised sixteen bales OF cotton and
gave me four. The land is rich and productive and
the climate suits the negroes. They stand
the cold climate of the Northwest"
'Why, then il the negroes we'll to do in
Mississippi do they go awayY
because they have been duped. Many of them
have sacrificed their little all for little nothing
take them away Ii all the colored people would go
there the South might obtain white labor. But they
can't. They are poor and haven't the to
imlngrate. The truth of the matter is that poll
ticans at the bottom OF this thing. They tell all
sorts of stories about the negroes condi-
ton for political effect It's u pity they
will allow themselves to be deceived The negro
laborer the South is infinitely better oil than i'll
Europe. He cannot prosper anywhere unless he
prospers in the South. The best thing the negroes
do is TO accept the advice OF Fred Douglass and
remain where they are.
"Who are the Southern democrats talking in favor
of for President i'll 1SS0?' asked the reporter.
'Well, I've heard Thurman spoken or, also Bayard
and Hancock. Either or these gentlemen would be
acceptable, in my opinion to the Southern people
and receive their support.
"How about Mr. Tilden?'
''NIr. Tilden is not much talked about in the
South. He has lost caste. He is not looked upon
layorably as he used to be-"