The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-10
The Kansas Exodus

A staff correspondent of the Chic
ago inter- Ocean, who has been
making an Investigation of the exc
dus in Kansas during four weeks
travel through the state, writes q
letter from here giving his conclu-
sions. He estimates the number of
refugees in the state at $4,000. Of
these, he thinks that probably one
fifth were able to buy a little land,
and are making good progress IN
farming. Most of the balance have
found, through the Freemen's Relief
Association, places as laborers, and
are giving good satisfaction. In no
county did he find them burdens up-
on corporate charities; but the de-
mand for these labOrers has been
stretched to its fullest capacity, as the
accumulation Of refugees at the bar
racks-now nearly 700, for whom no
places can be found-clearly indi-
Gates. Judging from what he has
learned from refugees themselves,
and from the increasing numbers
now from 25 to 50-arriving every
day, he predicts that the movement
to Kansas will soon assume such pro
portions again as to astonish the
country, and unless the tide can be
turned, or the charity of the North
be more readily bestowed, that suf.
fering-which the relief committee,
although laboring faithfully with the
means at their command, has not
been entirely able to relieve during
the recent cold weather-will soon be
turned to general destitution and
great suffering among the pauper
refugees.
Prof. R. T. Greener, Secretary OF
the National Emigration Aid So
ciety, has just returned from an ex-
tended tour through Illinois, Missou-
ri and Kansas. He has made carful
inquiries as to the condition and
prospects Of the refugees who have
gone West. The Professor visited
the most important settlements in
Kansas and conversed with hundreds
of emigrants EN- route for Kansas.
He reports all as contended, anxious
to get work and remain, and none
disposed to return. The exodus. so
far from stopping for the winter, he
says, is on the increase. Five hun.
dred recently passed through st.
Louis, most of them able bodied.
thrifty and intelligent msn and wo-
men. At Topeka, Kansas. he saw
nearly two hundred in barracks pro-
vided by the State committee, of
which Gov. st. John is chairman and
Col. John M. Brown is superinten
dent. The Society of Friends haye
two agents, lady and gentleman,
at this point to superintend the dis.
tribution of supplies to needy aemi-
grants. and only really meritorious
cases are considered. Prof. Greener
speaks highly of Gov. st. Johns
efforts in behalf of the colored people
and the philanthropy of the people
of Kansas in sustaining him. Col.
Brown, the colored superintendent,
recently visited every colored settle
ment in the State, and reports them
in satisfactory condition. Many of
the refugees are pushing on beyond
Kansas, to Iowa, Nebraska and Min
nesota. The people of the Northwest
say they need servants and farm
hands, and look to the negroes for a
supply. Prof. Greener says he saw
only two refugees who were going
hack. One was going to Mississippi
to organize q COLONY to start in the
spring, and the other had bought
tract near Emporia, Kas., and was
returning for his family. Out of the
number collected at Topeka no one
expressed a willingness to return.
There was absolutely no prejudice
against these people, so far as the
Professor saw, except where the less
enterprising and intelligent were dis
posed TO hang about the large cities.
In and about Topeka, Emporia,
Junction City, the colored people
who desired land at cheap rates and
hard work found no difficulty in OBJ
tanning both. The Professor, who
has always been an active exodus
advocate, says he is more than ever
convinced of the wisdom of the pres
ent movement of the blacks. He
has no apology to offer for his advoN
cacy, but on the contrary considers it
wise in every way it is looked at
gDod for the whites, good for the ne