New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-30
THE FREEDMAN'S PROGRESS.
PROFESSOR R. T. GREEYER's OBSERVATIONS.
SATISFIED OF THE NEGRo's rERMANENCE IN THE
sNUrD-HIs MATERIAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
BIT TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRisUyE.l

has returned from journey through Georgia, Ala
bama and several other Southern States, which he
visited to observe the social material and political
condition of the coored people. To TRIBUNE
correspondent Professor Greener said: My trlP
satisfied me of the permanence OF the negro. ii
ever had doubts of his improvement and progress
all are removed now. and am an opimst on this
subject. AS laborer or peasant class, the negro
to-day better housed has better food, wears better
clothes and has less difficulty in getting hold OF the
soil than any like class Europe. lie is not yet an
upbampered citizen for his vote Is only counted
as the dominant party pcases, and the law Is in
many cases perverted 10 discriminate against him.
He is thrown into the penitentiary for the most
trivial offences and thus disfranchised. and the
chain gangs are filed with these un ortunates Yet
the negro is essential to the prosperity OF the
South as a free man than he was as slave and
Southern white people readily acknowledge inc
fact have not been south since 1877 and hence
was prepared to notice tho improvement or retro
pression. observed more PRIDE of race among our
people. more Independence of character, greater
neatness of dress a desire to enter business and
thirst for education equal TO that just after the
WORK OF THE CoLoRED TEACHER.
"What of the educational and social condition of
the negroi'
THE colored teachers are doing great work
They tie heIoes and heroines of our race, and
the work they are doing is working silent revolu-
ton Their missionary labor is affecting the social
lIfe the home as we'll as the school. OF course
prejudice still exists at the South. Caste feeling
always dies hard. had a chance to feel 1t during
my trip, when ordered from first-class car, or
when refused meal at dirty inn at Taccoa In
Georgia, or when | saw separate waiting rooms Tor
colored people at railway stations while the same
colOred people III close proximity in other re-
lations in life. In the five instances i'll which was
ordered into sccond-class coach | invariably
refused TO go and was left undisturbed
But the South in this respect is no worse than the
North was Thirty years ago"
Eyes, continued Mr.. Greener 1.-THE colored peo-
pie are improving socially met many of them
holding responsible positlons-business men, ply
scians, lawyers, solicitor of judicial circuit.
members of the city, State and county organiza-
tiOns. In two Instances ! poor white boggars
appealing, notin vain, to the teachers of colored
school for aid. In Alabama l met a colored
graduate of Hampton and the Buffalo Medical
School. who had passed the local Board of Ex-
aniners after five days examination"
THE NEGRO BECOMING A LAND OWNER.
care the negroes pretty generally acquiring
land3"
"In every State they are becoming land owners.
l made particular inquiries IN regard to
negro is the laborer You see him in the cotton
field, of course, but also in the tobacco factory.
walkin. in the street, building the railroads. He
is the carpenter, the wheelwright, the hacknan,
often owning the stable the blacksmith. the brake
man on Che railway in short, he is the black arm
of the South"
How about politics"
well there is good deal of feeIi NJ, but the in
tercst is oppressed to great extent. The white
people affect to be indifferent and tho coOred peo-
pie conceal their interest. Still under the surface
there is deep on both sides. The Democrats
are of the most ultra type but there are already
signs of disntegraton. The younger men are
open to conviction. Several with whom
conversed freely were favorable to
Blaine. as ono put it, because he has
decided opinions ON questions affecting American
interests. If fair canvass could be mad ana an
aggressive campaign urged, believe The Republic
can ticket would poll respectable vote in every
southern State. while North Carolina, West Viz
ginia and possibly Florida could De carried"
IMPENDING CHANGES IN THE SOUTH.
"The South is on the eve Of political breakup.
English capital is an entering wedge IN all the
Southern States. The foreign element too. IS sred-
ually controlling trade One sees the same names
on the street signs that you find in Broadway, and
Samuel of Posen is every train. As If to COM
pensate for the negros political majority there
seems to he more consideration paid TO those
negroes who have acquired competence or
attaued position in their respective localities.
Among white clergyman, politicians ana business
men with whom | lversed found an uhVaIymg
interest expressed III the negros advancement ana
qualification at 1t. Tie fact IS the grand movement
of The Nineteenth Century has AT last reached the
south In spite OF inherited preludlces ana tne
dsposi non to clingto exploded theories OF govern
ment and race the South Will DIVIDE sooner imam
the North for there is still left at the SOUTH be-
meath prciudices and eIiete notions ana customs,
,f no ideal which MANY OF us han icr Un 10
think extinct The South has not yet sold its soul
to materialisn although MephistOphles is on the
ground attempting 70 drlYea bargain
FAITHFUL TO THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY.
"Js there any truth in the reports of disaffeciOn
among the colorcd re 'pleT
sNothipg could be more absurd The leading col
ored men of Il south VIII support the Republican
National ticket General Logan always was their
second choi O. Mr. Dancy, colored Republican.
Of North Carolina, seconded LOgan's nomination at
CHICAGO in an eloquent speech. Naturally they
we're for Arthur at first; but having done their
duty TO HIM and shown they were not m r pohtl-
cal yapes e. are now solid for the whole ticket.
Bolts klck.nG and independent moVcmehts 90 ilot
affect them, and am glad OF IL. lheN kh9" "hat
the Republican party stands for, ana they are
unanimous III its support. Our people respect
Mr. Curtis ir ms fsllow his political lead.
The coorcd people of the South will vote for Blame
and Logan because they are the standard-beare
&c ,he narty-lf they get chance to vote al all.
They know that no responsibility OF candidate
can ever make the Democratic party respectable so
oo criticism on Republican leaders can change the
record OF the Republican party Every colored man
| talked with held this ylew me negroes are
Scb morc practical politicians than the lndepen-
dents give them credit for" .Io
But there are some coored Independents at the
No 81 WHARF Not handful; not bakers
dozen of weight -. and character n IN tnS
uhi,eu "a nroxe our humanity and that all the fools
ane not confned to the whito race We have rep
Tesentatives in the jals and a-y uns ana Oh 10se'
crots. believe our canvass ought TO he pushed at
the south If Mr. Blaine could speak IN nG irIl
TGa,oiiDa Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama, think
he would rsyoutIonize those States. There Is great
l. ba.r md i know