Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-16

line at q good
many delegations of white folks" from the
North. It is strange, but the Southern
negro's regard for the Northerner amounts
almost to reverence, which is no doubt
caused by his wildly extrsvagant ideas Of
the wealth Of the Yankee; for the negro is
an aristocrat, despising poverty and poor
white trash"
The negro's geography beyond Dixie, ID
confined to one spot-New York. 1t is the
paradise of his imagination. The name he
applies to any and every point-beyond.
The negro is the personifcation of Humility
itself. He respects an officer, q millionaire,
an educator, and does his bidding with sub
mission; in fact, loves to serve and be de-
pendent upon his acknowledged superior,
The color line is drawn well, not only here,
but it is gradually crawling up North.
Even in the smallest towns the negro has his
own school, his own church; on the railway
he rides in car assigned to him, sits in the
gallery at the theater, eats at his own restau-
rant, etc., etc., and the reformer who would
have it otherwise may see the eternal ft-
ness" if he will attempt reformation, and
when he does must begin his work here.
The HACE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
The negro in the South is ignorant, SUPER
stitious and has only enild's mind. He
is good natured and contented, and while he
has little conscience, he has no nerves. For
this reason the South has no fear Of serious
instructions, for he would be too cowardly
to execute his plans The negro's powers
of imitation are good. but the gift of reason
ing is absent. Still he is happy, and with
controlling influence, makes a useful citi.
izen and a devoted servant. The South
could no more live without the negro than
the negro without the South. He is the
background to the ideal Southern picture
a happy, contented creature, laughing, talk
ing, singing and enjoying to-day with no
thought of the future. He makes his
money this morning and spends IL tonight
in a happy go-lucky, don'tcare-for-
tomorrow way, and shirks his work
at every opportunity. Every Florida town
has on the outskirts a negro settlement-a
veritable Hayti. Here, scattered about, are
the small cabins or shanties, pens for the pet
pigs, chicken coops, mewing cats, gsunt,
melancholy dogs, while pickaninnies of all
ages and sizes crawl and lay about in plct-
uresque confusion. Here, every evening,
the music Of the banjo and fiddle is heard.
The gray-haired uncles and aunties of to-day
were all slaves, and as they sing the old
plantation melodies, che memory of happy,
careless past comes to many of them. Many
of the old patriarchs say: "When was q
slave missus clothed me and massa fed me;
now, in my old days, know not where the
next meal will come from"
In their inability to do for themselves
they feel the slave chains of poverty, but We
may hope that the coming generation,
having to depend upon their own efforts,
may be more prosperous and more useful.
MAKING PLAY OF WORK.
The Southern negro is no believer in the
proVerb, Labor has sure reward" >" but, like
Tom Sawyer, is content to sit in the shade
and let others indulge in the luxury of Ia
Dor. The foreman who will make a success
out of negro labor will invent method to
turn work into play. Thus, in clearing
trees, let popular song get started, and 80
per cent more work will be accomplished as
the axes come down in perfect time to the
music.
Ration day is legacy Of slavery, and no
difference how pressing the work, nothing
will induce the negro to labor on a Satur-
day afternoon. To know the details Of
single days overseeing in order TO conduct
business on business principles, would con-
vince the Northerner that it is the hapless
that is down-trodden even beyond
the conception of a Northern mill owner
who is harassed by arbitrary rules of the
trades union"
There is little to encourage the belief that
The African will make a good mechanic or
anything but a drudge for the labor that
1nly the negro is fitted for in the South.
The future of the African is what he himself
makes it. Under a government like ours.
here can be no effective law against the laWof
public opinion. In politics there has been
10 impro7ement, which is due to sentiment.
North as well as South.
EMIGRATE TO THE NORTH
If about one-half the negroes of the South
ould go up North it would make such an
DUAL division of color that the race prob
EN- could be studied to good advantage by
he Northerner. The fact OF Northern men
ettling in the South and realizing the true
ondition of affairs is gradually creating q
entiment in its favor in the North. The
jouth influences the vote Of the negro on
be same principles that Northern capital
It's and mill men buy up the vote Of their
Torkmen. The negro depending for his
ery livelihood on the South, unable to
mink for himself, must vote for the interests
his supporters. The best minds of the
forth ieel that he is a heavy load to carry,
nd while be is entitled to all the rights Of
ltizenship, his place is not at the front vet
twenty-five years OF freedom has made little
Improvement in him, and we can only hope
" better dav when education and true re-
gion shall take the place Of the ignorance
nd superstition of the sluggish African. A
Oecake and fiddle make the negro king
mong men. In fact, in his indifference 70
ven ordinary ambition, be may be ikened
} Diogenes, differing in that the tub il
nder Aunt Chloe's domain, and he does
OF care so long as nothing comes between
lie sunlight that dries the "white folks
lothes. LORNA DOONE.