Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-12

LATED IN vRaINIA-THE OUTLOOK BRIGHT.
In conversation with q STAR reporter today
relative to the movement now on foot to in
duce the colored people of the south to emf
CRATE to Liberia, ex-senator Bruce said: There
is nothing new nor startling in this movement.
1t is the fifth distinct effort that has been made
since the war to induce the colored people to
cast their fortunes with the denizens of Lii
IBERIA, but predict that its failure will be quite
as dismal as was the failure of the four preced-
ing ones. The colored people are not in SYM
pathy with it. In fact. Bishop H. NJ. Turner of
the African Methodist church is the only promi-
nent man in this country who favors the scheme
and believes that the negro will only reach his
highest development in the dark continent
The bishop Is man of recognized ability and
influence, but he has failed to impress his pecu-
liar views in this respect upon his race.
1.-The black race in this country is not African
except in color; in all the elements of civilized
manhood they are American and there is no
more reason why they should abandon the land
of their birth and go to the dark continent be-
cause their forefathers lived there than that
the Irish or German or any other class Of our
heterogeneous population should return to the
old world because their forefathers lived there.
PROGRESS IN THE SOUTH.
Zone Of the most potent arguments made
by the friends of the movement is that the con-
ditions of life are easier in Liberia than in the
United States; that vast sums of money can be
realized from the mahogany trade and from
the cultivation Of cotton and other tropical
productions. They seem to forget that the
negro has today practically monopoly Of the
agricultural labor of the south, producing
nearly all the cotton, rice and sugar Of that
section.
'.If the progress made by the colored people
OF the south since their emancipation were less
satisfactory the colonizationists might find
some ground upon which to stand. speak Of
the south because ffteen-sixteenths of the
colored race reside south of Mason and Dixon's
line, and it is in this section that all efforts are
made in this direction
DO you think the colored people have made
very great advancement"
"Ihelr advancement" replied Mr.. Bruce, sis
simply amazing. Gen. r. P. Porter, the able
superintendent Of the national census, says
there are "a 900 colored teachers engaged in
elevatlng their race. There are probably a
great many more, because some of the states
have not kept separate race statistics. There are
one and one-thlrd million colored pupils in the
public schools. There are in addition to this
$1,000 pupils in private schools and about 5000
in parochial schools, making Q total in round
numbers Of 1,37S, 900.
There are over seventy institutions for
superior education Of the negro, and over seven
teachers, while hundreds are studying theology,
law and medicine.
In ten of the southern states the percentage
OF gain in public school enrolment has far out
stripped the gain in population"
INDUSTRIAL ADVANCEMENT.
"What have You to say of the industrial
growth Of the race?' asked The STAR reporter.
"Much more than you have time to hear"
replied Mr.. Bruce. Gas slaves, sxpending
their physical energies under the direction and
for the benefit of others. they produced great
volumes u values and continuously upheld the
industries of one entire section of the country
As freemen, acting upon their own Judgment
and sustained by considerations Of their own
interests, they are producing greater results
than ever before. The cotton crop Of 1890 was
the largest ever produced in this CO Intry. The
crop Of 1891 promises to be even larger. Any
general and widespread movement among the
population would paralyzs the industries Of at
least eight great states Of this Union and seri-
ously affect the business OF many more. Here
tofore we have contemplated the negro simply
as a field hand, but under the stimulating infu-
ence of education this state OF things is rapidly
changing and he is now pushing himself into
every field OF activity, and becoming artisan,
mechanic, merchant, banker manufacturer,
lawyer, doctor, teacher and preacher. The
truth Is, the negro is going into everything
that other Americans engage in"
Then they must have accumulated cousid-
cradle property in the south since the warp
"Oh, yes, said Mr.. Bruce. Notwithstanding
the disadvantages under which they labor they
own more than S15, ZOO, 900 worth Of property
In the state OF Virginia, ~ shown by the eley-
enth census, and had the assessments in the
states Of Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi
and some others been kept separate, as was
done in Virginia, far better showing would
have been made. The negro u coming; only
give him half q chance"