Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-17


of the majority resolution, as amended by
Cannon's resolution, for the original measure
referred to the committee was nearly COM
pleted, Springer saw that it would be tie.
| He therefore changed his vote to the mega
| tive so that he could move reconsideration.
| So Springer may be credited with saving the
day, so far as it was saved, for the west
THE NEW IRREPRESSlBLE CONFLICT.
Senators Talk at Length on n Very Tronble-
some Question.
WASHINGTON CITY, Jan 17.-Butler of
South Carolina addressed the senate yester~
day in favor Of his bill to deport the negroes
TO Africa. To his mind, he said, the subject
was too grave to be distorted by party con-
siderations, or confined within the narrow
limits of party lines Besides, be said, who
ever concluded that the quoting of the agi-
tation concerning the political status Of the
negro would be a settlement of the race ques-
ton disclosed how little he knew of its mag
nitude.
Other Question of Race.
1t did not appear why the preponderance
of thought should be bestowed upon the
descendant of the African. # had cost the
government millions TO settle the race ques-
ton with the Indian and still it was not set
tied. The Chinese branch of the race ques-
ton had been summarily settled-settled, too,
in defiance of treaty stipulation, humanity
and Justice The Chinaman had to 60 or
die Cupidity brought the African and the
Chinaman here; cupidity drove the China
man out. The Indian would not be reduced
70 slavery and he was hunted and corralled
The Indian was here before the white man,
the African or the Mongolian. He possessed
characteristics which should make him a
valuable citizen in free republic. Yet he
had been regarded as only fit 70 live on reser-
vations TO himself under coercion.
A Comparison of Prejudices.
Was race prejudice stronger and more
binding in the south than in the northi
There were 3+3, 70l negroes in the north.
Presumably they had every advantage of
education and enlightenment. Yet in travel
ing through these states you would not find
a negro at work for n railroad company, or
on street car, or occupying. any position Of
/ trust or honor or emolument in the state
government 1t could not be that the negro
was not qualified for any of these positions
| What then, excluded him from enjoying his
equal right to these callingsl It was unfor-
giving, unrelenting, incurable race preju-
| dice
Many would stand amazed at the predic.
ton that within fifty years genuine, full.
blooded negro could not be found in the pres
| emit limits OF the United States-yet there
were many who believed that very thing
The Reward of slavery.
Ii was argued that the negro had helped
develop the south without reward In an
swsr to this Butler said that the institution
OF slavery, he believed, had retarded the de-
| velopment Of the states where it existed
And the negro had not been without reward
| He had been transformed from the rude
savage of the equator TO a condition which
made him fit to become a citizen of a free
republic in the temperate zone.
Quoting Lincoln and Douglas.
Butler quoted from Rev. Edward w. Bly,
den, Rev. j. s. Lee, and Rev Benjamin Gas
ton, all colored, in support Of his statement
that emigration was the only solution of the
race problem He also read extracts from
the political debates between Abraham Lin
coin and Stephen A Douglas, in 1858, in
which both of them favored the separation
Of the white and black races; also an extract
from a speech Of ex-Postmaster General Da-
vid NJ Key, holding that but little OF the
spirit of sectionalism remained among the
southern people.
The Labor Question.
Butler said fear existed that IL the
/ negroes emigrated there would be no other
labor to till the soil. He thought not What
/ the south needed and what she would get, IL
relieved OF her superabundance of cheap
labor, was an immigration of thrifty, intel
ligent citizens as free-holders and wealth
producers. With this accession the progress
10 the development of the south during the
past decade would be infnitestimal when
compared with its future progress. Butler
closed with an appeal for consderat ion of
the subject outside OF partisan lines.
Hoar Expresses Advertisements.
Hoar, replying to Butler expressed his
qualification at the tone and temper, as well
as the ability and eloquence with which the
senator from South Carolina had presented
his own views. But IL seemed to him that
!, the proposition WINS the most astonishing
that had ever been heard in thu legislative
history of the senate, or in the legislative
history Of any free, civilized and prosperous
people. The United States was at this mo
ment growing in wealth, strength and pros
, perity, and still the demand for labor kept
more fhan abreast Of the general growth Of
the country. And yet in the sem
ate OF the United States a proposition
was made that, by force Of the nation, aided
by its treasury, s,000,OO0 laborers, born on
American soil, entitled to every right, were
to be deported.
: Compliments to Negro Statesmen.
Hoar paid high compliment to ex-Sena-
tor Bruce, of Mississippi, and to the eight or
ten colored men who had sat in the house of
. representatives, and declared that there
could have been no better examples of the
Legislative character, Tor purity Of conduct,