Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-05-06
Exodus testimony.

4
grateful for the testimony of Col. Alex
ander Yerger and Louis Stubblefield
before the Senate Exodus Committee
last Monday. The first named is Su-
perintendent of Public instruction in
Bolivar county, Miss. He says that
while the educational facilities there
are somewhat limited, they are shared
alike by both races; and that so far
from there being any prejudice on the
part of the whites against the educa-
ton of the'blacks; the most influential
portion of the former favor the increas-
ing of the school fund in order to give
the colored people more advantages.
This simply confirms the statements of
ex-senator Revels made a few years
ago on the same subject. though Col.
Yerger did not say what the ex-Sena-
tor most emphatically declared: that
since Mississippi had been under DEM
ocratic control the blacks had more
and better opportunities for education
than they enjoyed under Republican
rule.
The testimony of Mr.. Stubblefield is
even more interesting and important.
The witness is middle-aged negro,
unable to read or write; by occupation
farmer, and for eight years past men,
Der of the Board of Supervisors of Boil
var county. He testifies that he was a
slave up to the close of the war; that
he now owns farm of 16O acres, well
stocked and equipped, and believes
himself to be worth $4,000. Twelve
or fifteen other colored men i'm the
same county, have been, he says,
equally successful, and he expresses
the opinion that 'if a colored man
can't make a living in Bolivar he can't
make it anywhere" The demand for
labor is good and the wages paid are
liberal, but he admits that many of his
people "are lazy and won't work. and
suffer the consequences thereof. He
Endorsed the testimony of Col. Yerger
in regard to the schools, and had no
complaints to make of ill-treatment of
any kind.
AS Mississippi, in Republican estima-
ton, is the typical "house of bondage"
from which 1t is the duty of every ne
gro to fly at the earliest possible mo-
ment. the story of the two witnesses is
calculated to upset the Republican the
ory. That of .Stubhlefield is especially
noteworthy, showing, as it does, that an
industrious and thrifty negro, however
ignorant, is able to get on in the world
to his own entire satisfaction. We very
much doubt whether there il a place in
the North where, under similar circum-
stances, he could have done as well:
and i'm no New England county, GER
talnly, would he have been member
of the Board of Supervisors for eight
years. Nor is Stubblefield's an ex-
ceptiona; case. In the same locality
other cOloreti men are quite as prosper
Gus, and those who are not 50 have no
body to blame but themselves. What
is true there is true elsewhere. There
is no Southern State where an indus
trious and thrifty coiored man cannot
do well: do far better, we believe, than
in any Northern State. The exodus is
as unnecessary as it is Improbable,
and in the end will injure the North
much more than the South. The lat
ter section will be benefited by the
of the worthless portion of
the colOred population, while the form
er will have an unwelcOme addition to
its vagabond and pauper class. Men
Of the Stubblefield sort will stay where |
they are and let the good for nothings
try Northern hospitality and North.
ern patience.-St. Louis Republican, |
ApriL 2Sth.