San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-15
TIE NEGRO EXODUS TO MEXICO.
What w. n. Ellis Says of Hansps
Letter.

|
Letter.
sunday mornings Express con
tanned a lengthy and labored article
from the pen of A. Hansl under the
above caption. This article set forth
the Importance of colored labor to this
state, and strained point to paint in
roseate hues the benefit of continued
residence in Texas to the cOlored PEG.
pie. 1t endeavors to show that there
is no antagonism between the races
and denies that discr ordinations are
made against colored people. The
evident object and aim of the whole
article is to discourage the attempt
now being made to plant colonies in
Mexico, by colored leaders in this
state, and to do this by showing the
absolute lack of all real necessity for
such colonization. With a show of
candor the writer places his plea for
their remaining on the ground of con-
Germ for the welfare Of the colored
people.
After careful reading of the article
the LIGHT concluded to ascertain the
views of those who were interested in
this colonization scheme. Mr.. Ellis,
one of the agents of the colonization
scheme, and who had recently re-
turned from Mexico was called upon.
In answer to the query of the LIGHT
as to how far the article of Mr.. Hansl
was in accordance with facts, Mr.. Ellis
said substantially
81 do not say that it is a disgrace to
be colored man in Texas but / find
it very inconvenient. On My last
trip to Galveston over the ;. A. p.
road was denied seat in the chair
coach on account of my color, while
Cinnamon were seated there. In
Mexico, from which | have just re-
turned, l found no discrimination
against myself or Mr.. Ferguson in car,
or coach, or hotel. This, however, is
a small matter. Our real reason for
wishing to leave Texas, and I DO
not mean this state more than
any other gulf state, is because we
must remain as bject, serviIe race
or not at all. The more desirable
avenues of business are practically
closed against US; the right TO manage
the local affairs of such communities
as are overwhelmingly composed OF
colored people is denied us; the right
to have any independent voice in the
selection of those who are to hold
office over Us and govern us is in
many places denied to us, and in
some places our best men have been |
driven from home for no cause what |
ever other than that they were col |
ored men and enjoyed the confidence
of their race. AS to there being no |
desirable soil tor the growth of cot |
ton south of the Rio Graude, that is |
all a mistake. We travelled over and |
inspected thousands of acres of as !
fine cotton land as the sun ever shown |
upon. Mr.. Ferguson, my colleague, |
is an expert cotton planter and knows |
too much about agriculture not tot
know what he is talking of, and he |
pronounces some of these Mexican |
lands the equal of any cotton lands |
he ever saw.
when Mr.. Hansl says the 'Ameri-
can negro is proud of his political
rights he might with equal truth
have added, and he is indignant at
being deprived of them, as he is in
every county in Texas, Louisiana,
Alabama or Georgia in which the col
ored voter is in the majority. "If,"
as Mr.. Hansl says, 1--WE do not want |
the colored people to leave friends |
and home,n why do the white people |
persist in driving the colored people |
away by denying them every man
hood right which they hold dear? |
Why do such men as those who are |
interested in this movement, in Fort |
Bend and Wharton and Brazoria and |
Washington counties, leave their |
plantations, selling their homes at a
sacrifice which they have built with
great toll and to which they have be-
come attached, if there is no reason
for it" Do you suppose Ferguson
would sell his plantations for 40 per
cent of their value if he did not have
to? When he is driven away from
home as scores of industrious men
have been what will become of his
lands? / tell you, sir, the time has
come when the negro must leave the
black belt of Texas or endure greater
indignities than he did in slave days
with certainty of losing all he has &C
cumulated, unless he consents to re-
main virtually slave.
10 the lnqulry-"HOW tar have the
people of the black belt been deprived
of the right to vote, do business and
peacefully pursue their callings in
what is technically called the black
belt Of Texas Mr.. Ellis replied
II do not care to speak at random.
These things have been done toan eX-
tent that even you, republican as you
are and deeply in sympathy with us as
| know you to be, could not believe.
Within one week | will submit to you