The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-30
EGR EMIGRATION.

q 6paSMOQlCally ZOE bHe pASt bW5uty
years in favor of colonizing the dark
continent with colured emigrants from
our " southern states. The subject
is interestingly presented from two
points OF view in two contemporaneous
publications. In the North American
Review James NJ. Hubbard d%iscourses in
glowing language on the glorious oppor-
tunity awaiting the negro in Africa
under the changed conditions of that
country. "The work,of exploring Africa
and opening it up to civilization" he
says, 'shas progressed with marvellous
rapidity in the past half century.
French, Germans, English, Italians and
Americans have sent explorers through
the heart of the dark continent. Noble
men have time and again lost their
lives trying to search out this undis-
covered country or to suppress the
slave trade. But in every case they have
been white men, aliens in blood and
race from those they sought to help.
though there are now in America col
ored men of both wealth and culture"
The writer makes his appeal to the
race in these words:
The American negro alone looks on ap-
parently Indifferent to the oppression of
fellow negroes to which the tyranny of the
European Turk is mildness in comparison.
More than this, we should look to him to be
foremost. because experience shows that
kAA .IMn1r - - nv, INa h upr hofknrF tIotA
The white. In the last half century the
Christian missionaries have gathered con-
verts here and there, a few thousands i'll all,
doing in many cases a predetermined good
Emission boy being often a term of re-
proach for one who is lazy, helpless and
false. During. the same time black men,
part traders, part missionaries, have con-
verified vast populations in north central
Africa to Mohammedanism.
They awe founded among them king
dome Of a high degree of civilization, and
the negro under their influence has dis
tinctly advanced in strength of mind and
morals. These missionaries, it should be
noted, were quite as much strangers among
their African converts as the American ne
gro would have been. So the black traders
from the east coast, foreigners still, have
gone into every part of the interior, ex-
ploring territories in which no white man
has yet been able to set foot, everywhere
becoming leaders of the ~people-when they
have not extsrminated them. Has the en-
lightened American negro less force of
character or strength of will, less power to
influence or to command, than the black
half breed Arab? Could no American Tip
.rE1 - = .g- =. r-,
poo lib conquer for civilization and Chris
tianity a territory as great as that man
rules. as much an alien to his subjects as
his Belgian secretary? Il
The other advocate OF negro colonial
ton in Africa is the London Times and
its reasons for such a movement are po-
litical. 1t has recently published a Sc
ries OF letters OF the condition OF the
blacks in our southern states and in
summing up the situation says edito-
rially:
More than 6,500.O00 negroes live among
the population of whites. The two ele-
mentsdo not mix, and to all appearance
they never will. Their attitude is one of
antagonism, discomfort, and perpetual lam
ger. The constitution recognizes the equal
lty u bAC lltkIOtss DuU " LAcln tldb COLl-
stitution is the greatest of political fictions.
The letter of the law excludes them from
no position, but race 10 stronger than law,
and the spirit in which the law is admin
istered is such that there is 10 common
ground for them and the whites. The line
is drawn more sharply than in the days be
fore emancipation. C%ontumely, blows, and
often q cruel death are punishments for al
attempts to overstep it.
Things have grown yearly worse instead
of better. 1t was hoped by many at tht
end Of the war that, left to themselves
they would wither way and die out whe1
brought into close contact with ~civiliza
ton; but the prolific negro sets at defiance
such hopes and refuses to be effaced. Hi
is often immoral, thriftless and altogethe
uncleanly. The mortality among the ne
groes is amazing, but the rate of increase il
still more so. They die like flies III thu
large cities Of the south, but then. as GU
correspondent says, they breed like flies.
The black belt is becoming blacker. In
1910, according to careful estimates, thu
colored population will be a million in OK,
cess Of the white.
Reconstruction on the lines adopted n
the close of the war is already a failure
To all appearance it will be more conspic.
uousfy 80 ten years hence. unless stronl
measures are taken to end it. This condi-
ton of things is full of grave danger
The present generation is not responsible
for IT,; the fault lies with many now be
yond the reach of censure. No good cal
come of criticisinR in a captious spirit tn
policy pursued toward the south.
The white has for the time the mastery
The truth is he must rule, no matter a
what cost. In these circumstances, gu
correspondent says, and calls weighty testi
mony in favor of his proposal, that Their
ID but one way OF escape. The negro an
the white man cannot live harmoniousl
together. Contact is evil for both. Th
negro ought to 90. The government ough
to assist him to emigrate.
Our correspondent formulates a plan o
assisted emigration INT compensation, ane
points to the central belt of Africa as til
country marked out RS the natural home c
the negro, where. undisturbed by race jea
ousies, he could work out his destiny |
more favorable circumstances than are pos
sibls in America. The operation would /
oestly, bot il - not beyond the resource