The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-30
AMERICA GOOD ENOUGH.
Afro-Americans Not Inclined to
Leave These Shores for a
Land Unknown.
Uncle Sans Colored Children Ar
Native Americans and
Not Africans.
His Country Is Their Country and In
1t They Will Live and Labor
and Die.

Ever since the American Colonization
society was organized, moro than half a
century ago. for the purpose Of acoommo-
dating those Afro-Amerioans who wanted
to return to Africa, the question of their
colonization there has had more or Less
public attention. says a writer in the
A. NJ. T.. Church Review, Of Philadelphia.
1t was a dream Of Henry Clay,
who was opposed to slavery, and of
Abraham Lincoln, who did not believe that
the Afro-Amerioans could live here az free
men, but believed that colonization would
solve the problem. Perhaps it would have
done go, if the Afro-American, before and
since the war, had not set his face against
it. He would NOS have it; he will not have
it; and all the philanthropists, who have
spent millions Of money and years of honest
toll to bring it about. are in despair.
The Afro-Amerioan has reasoned that if
fifteen millions of Europeans have, since
1920, found it wise and advantageous to
come to the United States, it would be wise
and advantageous for him to remain here.
What Is good enough for them is good
enough for him, despite the arguments of
those who had decided that he must 90.
Men do not usually run away from oppor-
tunities which the rest of mankind are rush
ing forward to enjoy. The Afro-Amerioan
is just like other people in this respect. Is
he unlike other people in any respect2
Among the reasons for the refusal of
Afro-Amerioans to go TO Africa are the fol-
lowing:
Afro-Americans are not Africans. Tho
slave trade between the United States and
Africa ceased in 1908. Since then a few
stragglers have come here, but these acces-
sions arc too inconsiderable to enter into
the calculation. Afro Americans know
practically nothing about Africa. and take
only Il ntiment interest in it and its
people. Ihey have forgotten the language
of the country, and abandoned the religion
of it's people.
Africa is a country without organized
government. accepted religion, or uniform
language. Civilized men do not abandon
organized government for chaos. Tho pop
nlntion of Africa il supposed to be about
100, 900. COO; the inhabitants speaking as
many languages as there are tribes. Now,
if every one of the8 600, 600 Afro-Americans
should go to Africa, would they swallow up
the 100, 900, 600 natives, or would they be
swallowed up? Jonah could not swallow
the whale, and. therefore, the whale swal-
lowed Jonah.
" mn nssuthiices u4Ve ro-AWeTichh
that they would not Btnrve to death in a
country without organized industries, or be
slaughtered by hostile natives, or die from
the ravaEss OF climatic diseases? People
go to u new country to better their condi-
ton. not to atarve or bo slaughtered by nn-
tives or IN inhospitahle olimnte.
Afro-AmerlcanB feel that The United
States ia their country, and that they have
as much right to enjoy it AZ have othors OF
their fellow citizens. They have lahorsd to
build up it, grandeur; their race have