The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-01-18
THE LATEST EXODUS.

I W OC Ca DCCltu that u
movement like the present exodus of
colored people from the state of South
Carolina could escape the notice of the
general public. Neither could it be
expected that the matter could escape
| criticism and comment. The move
ment has assumed such vast pronor.
tlons that at last the two senator's
from South Carolina, Hampton and
Butler, have felt called upon to tender
IN explanation to the public. These
I gentlemen state that the unrest which
is taking practical shape in the whole
sale immigration of the colored people
is largely due to a naturally restless
spirit, allured by representations of
the advantages offered in other
states. Senator Hampton says, too.
that the immigration agents of
the western railroads are largely re-
| sponsible for the movement. They
circulate among the colored people
and paint rose-colored pictures of life
i'll western states until the darkies are
fairly enraptured over the prospect.
Senator Butler advances another
theory, which is rather noYel, to say
the least of it. He says sensational
negro preachers, who want to lead
migratory expeditions, are doing
10 oh &c bo p1fl,
tors agree that the state Is losing a
large per centage of her negro popu-
lation, but they profess confidence
that it will be replaced by white i'm
migrants from the east, and that the
inconvenience resulting from
such a marked diminution of
the laboring element will not
extend beyond the present year.
These gentlemen ought to be cOnver-
SAINT with the situation and there is
no reason to believe they misrepre-
sent it, Certainly it is to be hoped
that no deeper causes underlay the
movement than those above-stated.
Republican journals and politicians
have of course found prolific theme
in this latest exodus. The story will
be rung, with the varied changes, of
weak and dependent element thus pro-
testing against injustice on the part of
the governing party, and there will be
efforts TO make political capital out of
what the South Carolina senators de
clare is absolutely a non-political |
matter. 1t would seem, how
ever, that South Carolinians
would take some steps to check
or counteraCt the movement. The
Charleston News and Courier (as
good authority in its way as the South
Carolina senators) says these negroes
" wko are emigrating are, as a class, the
most industrious and well-to-do.
They have means to pay their own
way and carry money with them to
purchase lands and provisions wher-
ever they locate. In the Edgetield
district alone five thousand colored
persons thus took their departure
between the 22d and 2jth of Decem-
Der. Fifteen thousand in all are esti-
mated to haye left the state within
the month ending January 10th.
These figures represent the loss
Of a vast amount OF produc-
tive capital. Were they paupers,
who had been charge on
the state, their disappearance
would be a gain to society. But where
they are lsborers all, and possessed
of fair amount of means
tits very questionable if their loss will
be so easily and quickly replaced. Say
what we will of the negro, he is yet
he lsborer for the south, and when
and even measurably
hrifty he is doubly valuable. What
South Carolina loses by this exodus
viii be so much clear gain to other ,
outhern states, for many of these emf
rating negroes wend their way as
ar west as Texas But if such a
movement were to develop in this |
tate we should conclude there was
wrong and endeavor to |
emcdy il. 1t is strange that South |
19raliu9 can sfT1rd II