Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-09

ticable in this section of the world.
THE COLOR PROBLEM AS A BARRIER.
But what l regard as formidable
if not an insuperable barrier to ;
large and desirable immigration t.
Texas, is the tenacious foothold al
ready secured here by the coloret
element. II is here to stay-a resul
OF the system of ownership of labol
that SO seriously for generations
retarded the development Of re
sources of the South and was such 8
dead weight upon its progress. Il
|hangs on like grim death-a damned
lspot" that will not out. A Northern
visitor to Southern Texas, not taking
into consideration the immigration
question or the general interests of its
| various communities thinking only oi
the progress and welfare of the freed
men themselves and their descend
ants-would be likely to describe
them as in wonderfully prosperous
condition. That is, apparently, the
truth, especially in the central and
southern parts of the State. A North
ern man or Californian visiting one OF
the representative cities here, is as
tonished at what he beholds. Enter
ing any first-class retail dry goods or
grocery store, for instance, ho will
see characteristic picture of the
social condition: graceful, elegant
and stylishly dressed ladies and gen.
tlemen Of the upper classes,
inspecting the goods displayed
and making their purchases at
the same counter, at the same mo-
ment; treated also with the same po-
likeness and courteous Difference, he
will behold characteristic specimens
of every type of the colored race,
from the tattere1, dilapidated and
crippled old relic OF slavery days to
the richly-dressed, dudish darky Of
the present; bareheaded, barefooted,
ragged wenches alongside their colored
sisters who have the means to ape
the latest eXtravagant fashions Of the
aristocratic class OF white ladies'. At
aristocratic, well-kept saloons, re-
splendent with magnificent mirrors,
rosewood and mahogany furniture,
dazzling chandeliers, walls hung with
costly oil paintings and rare speci-
mems of the engraver's art, he will
see at the marble bar a little knot OF
prominent, elegantly dressed politi-
clans, or perhaps merchants, discus
sing the tariff or surplus ques-
tions and enjoying their tods
right alongside an indiscriminate
party of negroes of various ages,
sizes, styles OF dress and shades OF
color, discussing leighborhood gossip,
or perhaps disputing over the relative
racing qualities of an old mule, swal-
lowing their whisky straight at
pleasure, the barkeepers deity sweep
ing their coin into the till, accom-.
panying the movement with grace
full bow and as polite "thanks" to
his sable customers as he would givs
in scknowled ment Of the chance Gus
tom of white millionaire. On their
happy way TO and from school you
will see little parties of pert young
wenches and boys, neatly and even
stylishly apparelled, hurrying along
with books in hand, chatting volutly
about their studies or games, and
mixed up indiscriminately with white
boys and grid attendants Of the same
schools.
THE FRUIT OF SLAVERY A SOCIAL LEVEL.
This is 80 great contrast to the
condition of things Northern man is
accustomed to, and to his precon-
ccived ideas of the state OF society
here, that he feels as though he is in
a strange country and not sure of his
bearings. He is like a cat in strange
garret and wants to get away. One
can see now, in thousand nameles
ways. the white people here now are
suffering from the inevitable results
of the long era of slavery times. The
negroes. accustomed for generations 10
lie of ssrvitude, seem to feel that
heavy debt is due their race from the
whites forgetting, if they have ever
been informed, that they inaugurated
the system of enslaving war-captives
themselves, long before they began
selling each other to the white race) /;
and the more their privileges are ex-
tended, and the more they realize
their recently acquired powers, the
more they demand and the greater the
liberties they take. Many of them
have taken up land and are laying the
foundation OF future wealth. AS a
class there is no question as to
their intelligence-they have plenty
of brains but they are sur
prisingly ignorant and altogether at
sea as to the political history of the
country, the present situation, and
have as class, no perception Of their
duties or hew to serve the general
interest or promote their own class
| interests at the polls. They are, in
deed, unaccountahly deficient in po-
litical common sense. l am aware
that this is not the estimate generally
given, but am forced to that opinion.
During the past year have conve rsed
with colored men regarded as leaders
of. their kind, under circumstances
peculiarly favorable for getting at
their real opinion and for ascertain.
| ing the extent of their knowledge OF
surrounding facts, and have lost
what little faith I ever had in
their reliability. AS class I
am satisfied they do not COM
prehend the importance of the
principles upon which our system Of
government is founded, that they do
not possess that inherent feeling OF
patriotism and love of our country
and it's flag that animates the hearts
of all other classes of our citizens. q
do not say that they have any cause
for loving the country, or have not-l
merely state it as a fact that they dc
not seem imbued with sense of obli'
CATION or fealty to society in general.
[ can not avoid the feeling that they
constitute a dangerous class Do no