Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-14
A NOTED COLORED MAN
Rev. Dr.. Blyden Does otBelieve in Whole
sale Negro Emigration.
He Knows Liberia iand Says 1t Can
not Take Care ofla Lnrge Influx
of POpuDnahDn.

age is now in this country and Is spend
ing a few days in Washington as the guest
of the Rev. DIR. GrimlR. He Is Rev. DR.. E.
w. Blyden. the Liberian minister to Eng
land, an advanced thinker upon the negro
problem, an3 a leading educator OF his
race. DR.. Blyden has been the diplomatic
representative of the African republic at
the court OF st. James for seven years, and
is well known in the British capital. NO
discrimination is made against him in the
diplomatic corps on account OF his race,
and at the birthday dinner given to Lord
Salisbury by Queen Victoria he sat next TO
the American minister, Mr.. Lincoln.
DR.. Blyden is native of the West Indies.
and when he was fifteen years old came to
the United States to enter college. but at
that time the fugitive slave law was under
discussion, and there was such strong SEN
t,ment against his race that he could not
obtain admission. few days ago DIR.
Plyden was at New Brunswick, and the
mayor of the city and all of the professors
of Rutgers College came to meet him.
This was ore of the colleges that refused
years ego to take him in and educate him,
but now is one of the first to do him honor.
Upon being refused education in this coun-
try DR.. Blyden went to the west coast of
Africa aid was educated in Presbyterian
missions
II am opposed to the wholesale erigra-
ton from the United States to Liberia at
this time" said DIR. Blyden to a Star re-
porter today. because the circumstances
and conditions are against it. The govern
ment of Liberia is not ready to absorb
large numbers of emigrants thrust upon the
land, untitled and unprepared for their new
conditions of life. We can aSSimiiate a
new population in small numbers and I'M
der proper conditions. We want capital
we want energetic and physically Strong
men, mechanics and experienced farmers
with money enough to take care of them
selves until the results of their labor sup
pert them. The government is not able to
provide for emigrants for the six months
or year intervening between their arrival
and the Time when they can get returns
from their crops. Land is cheap, and can
be worked profitably, but men have got to
live and their families supported Until the
land can be cleared and the crops raised.
More than that, the colored people ought
rot to be in too great a hurry to leave the
United States. They have been here two
hundred years. and they can stand 1t lit
tie longer. Their stay in this land
is a period of discipline for them.
1t can be made of great benefit
to the race If the white people will it, and
the colorod people can be of great help to
the whites also. The colored population OF
the United States is destined to be the great
conservative power in this country. Your
land is being overrun by foreign popula-
tions men of diverse languages and d.
verse ideas, with nothing in common with
the Americans. In the course of time they
will threaten to disnteSrate this country.
They Will outnumher the native Americans,
and when that time arrives the colored race
will throw their weight Into the balance
with the Americans. because all Of their
sympathies and instincts will lie in that
direction. You can lead the negro, and if
you do not Cypress him, do not deprive
n hn to TIT a1l;
tells him he possesses, he can be made
power for good.
A Great Future for Liberia.
There is great future before Liberia
and before Africa. The country and he
people are Improving. There are 6oGoO.0OO
people in Africa who profess the Moham-
medan religion. and every one of them can
read. The Mohammedan has been great
missionary in that land, and nothing put
forward by Christian countries equals his
system. Practically, all of the people
north of the equator are Mohammedans,
and in every village there are schools.
The majority of the people can read the
Koran through. because they must learn to
read before they can become good Mo-
hammadans. 1t is not SO with Christian
countries, for man can be a Christ ian
whether he can reaG or not. and, in fact,
he need not have very much education to
become preacher under certain conui-
lions.
1.-THE basis of their life is their moral ma
ture. In this country the people are SO
busily providing for the material side of
their existence they are likely to neglect
the moral foundation. The result will be
that some day in the future, when material
prosperity has been attained to crafty
ing degree, it will be found that there is
no moral foundation and the common
wealth will fall. That has been the his
of all great empireSb
During his stay in this country DR.. Bly,
den is leading busy life. preaching and
talking to his race In many cities. He is
pleasing taller. rather conservative in
his style of address, but Indicating always
deep thought and wide reading and cb-
servation. He talks to his people of prac-
teal matters. and does not theorize. To-
morrow evening he will deliver lecture al
The Bethel Metropolitan Church, NJ street
between 18th and 10th streets, in which he
will discuss the work and destiny of the
races.