St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-25
ALAND FOR THEM.

A LAND FOR THEM.
| While migratory schemes for the col
ored people are being considered, it may
be noted that there is lively rustic
among some of them toward Oklahoma.
The manager of the immigration society
of that region says $4,000 negroes are
| there now and the movement is just
getting under good Roadway. He esti-
mates that there will be $4,000 of them
there before spring. Instances where
communities have sought vast acquisi-
| tons of this class of population are not
numerous, but this year-old territory
| seems to be one of them. A Republican
convention was held there the other
| day and resolved that the Republican
| party extends to our colored brethren a
hearty welcome" The explanation was
given that the pledge meant to ''eXtend
| words" to all the colored Corners. The
ill-natured critic might say something
| about the offer being confined to words,
with no suggestion of extended hands, but
the hands would be an innovation upon
Republican presidents. 1t is intimated
that this accession will insure an early
and reliably Republican state. While
the white Republicans of Oklahoma are
extending words" not hands, to the
colored people, why not let the alluring
solicitations be diffused over the South,
and settle the race question by flooding
Oklahoma with them? There is prob
ably room enough there and in outly-
ing districts for several millions. They
could make reliably Republican state,
and might insist upon holding the Of
| fees themselves, as their numbers
would enable them to do. This would
be OVERRIDING the thing, perhaps, and
might dampen the ardor of the white
brethren. 1t Is possible that this rush
to Oklahoma may be the advance of a
mighty and very important movement. If
there to is be any considerable migration
of negroes from the South, Oklahoma
is an apparently eligible region for it to
occupy. There could be an overland
exodus from the whilom land of bond
| age like that related to have come up
out of Egypt on an early OCCASION.
There would be no pursuit in this case.
| The outlook for this consummation
"CuaN w hipAO IL 1t
| not happen that these blacks that are
clouding the ways to Oklahoma had
already made one not quite satisfactory
migration. They are mostly the Kansas
fellows who came up from Louisiana,
Texas and those regions ten years ago,
to establish great colonies in Kansas
and make the waste places glad and
blooming. They dldn'tquite become prac-
tical farmers. They drifted to the large
towns, and thousands of them settled
about Lawrence, Topeka, Leavenworth,
Fort Scott and the other chief points.
The pastor of the largest black
congregation in Topeka the other
day found that the stampede
had been so complete that but
six of his flock were left. and he re-
signed in disgust, and has probably fol-
lowed the crowd. The movement to
Kansas of the last decade no doubt con-
| trIbuted to the political solidity of the
state, and perhaps made the Republican
majority inconveniently large. At all
events, it has not been noted of late
years that the Republicans have been
extending words" even to the sable
elements of the South, or sent immigra-
ton agents in that direction. Nor has
it been noted that the large colored ele-
ment in Kansas has been invited to
share any high honors or important
| offices. But oklahoma differs mate
rally in its conditions. 1t has essen
TALLY Southern climate and Southern
soil, and the blacks can take all the
offices if they come in the suggested
volume. They would be in at the start.
with hardly territorial organiza-
ton. The people in control would
at once see the need of the
organization of state. The blacks
could shape its constitution and machin-
cry to suit themselves. They might not
be able to disfranchise the whites, but
they could leave them out of all the Of
fees. 1t is not remembered just what
| the special inducements are for people
| to go to Oklahoma, but it is fact that
most of those who jammed the roads to
| get there are remaining, and it would
! seem that there are some allurements
| for the colored people. If any great
| numbers of them are dissatisfied in the
| South and want to possess land where
| they can have full scope for their ener-
| gies and aspirations, it is possible that
Oklahoma is the best place for them in
sight.