Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-04-18


rhs whites. Not the Negroes. Ask for AID.
Topeka, April 13.-Is Oklahoma re-
ally overrun with negroes and has there
been an influx OF the pauper negroes
from the south? So many conflicting
answers have been given In response to
these two questions that 1t was impos-
sible TO arrive at the truth. The:census
taken there last summer was OF no use
in aiding to arrive at conclusions, for
while Guthrie enumerated, so 1t Is said,
the horses, dogs and chickens, as well
as the Irregular" population, Oklahoma
and Kingfsher failed to count the men,
women and children, while Edmund,
Ell Reno and Lincoln are still in doubt
as to what and who were counted and
Kingston was not In existence. In Or
der to determine the truth, the New
York Times representative determined
to visit the territory and see what was
to be seen and learned from interested
persons-as much OF the truth as they
could be prevailed on to surrender.
Those who have never attempted to
draw the truth from an Oklahomite, he
writes, ''can hardly realize the difficult
ties that are presented. The territory
was born in falsehood, was baptized in
falsehood, and falsehood has been the
principal article of diet ever since that
Hateful 22d OF April, 1889, when the
'sooners' became the leading citizens Of
country opened up to settlement too
late in the year for the planting OF
crops, and to which the poverty-strick-
en- were invited by Spectators and i'm
,NaO,,niO,,c ,rvhA ho6 hann
mitted to enter beforehand by pig
healed administration, which could see
nothing good outside the ague-stricken
Wabash bottoms OF Indiana.
Guthrie. being the headquarters Of
the Afro-American colonization, has
naturally been the objective point OF
the negroes who have been induced to
migrate to Oklahoma. 1t is impossible
to ascertain how many OF the black race
are in that city. Those who are OPP
posed to negro settlement declare posi-
lively that there are not fifty in the
city. Those who favor the movement
insist that there are more than 1000 in
and about the capital. The latter Is
probably more near the correct esti-
mate.
THAT all these negroes are not pau
pers is shown by their bank deposits
where they have sums ranging from
$500 to 81, 900. In one bank alone sums
aggregating over $500 have been de-
posted by the negro settlers. Many
have gone to that territory
with nothing except the rags
they wore, but they never be-
came public charges. They have been
cared for by persons of their own race
until they were in such condition that
they could help themselves and help
others. At this time there are eight
families, aggregating forty-five persons,
crowded into an old over one year Old
There they sit day after day waiting till
they can be scattered ana settled upon
some of the prairie claims. Probably
$50 would prove bonanza to the entire
outfit. They are fed by their more for
tunate brothers and some way they will
keep alive until summer, when they
will show that they are self sustaining,
for they will work and exist upon e.,
most nothing
1.-THE appeals for aid coming from
Oklahoma do not come from the neg
'roes, but from the whites. They exeu@
plify the workings Of the cooperate
plan. On claims may be found two,
fou. and sometimes eight families, all
working together and often living to-
gether, awaiting the time when more
land will be opened for settlement.