The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-01
The Movement southward.

The impression gained from reading re,
publican newspaper articles that deal with
political conditions in the south is that
those papers are hostile to southern prog
ress. and are determined that the south
shall not prosper unless II be along lines
which they mark out. AS a matter OF
fact the southern people are much bet
ter qualified 20 say what is best for their
own interests than the northern republican
editors can possibly be. Southern states
men have directed the affairs of this
country since the foundation Of the gov
eminent 70 a much greater extent than
statesmen OF the north. and It would
be strange indeed If they were not bet
ter acquainted with the needs of their
own section than the men who direct the
republican press OF the north.
In Fridays New York Tribune there
is an article commenting on some state
ments Of Gen. Catchings of Mississippi.
relative to the now large and growing
movement of farmers from the west to
the south. One Of Gen. Catchings' state
ments is that the reason this movement
was delayed so dong is that the belief pre-
vailed in the north and west, and still
prevails to a considerable extent, that
labor in the south particularly farm la
Dor, is not as highly respected in the
south as it is In the west, because the
laboring class is so largely composed Of
negroes. No doubt this view is a correct
one. The western people are finding out,
however. that a farmer in the south who
follows the plow is just as much respected
as a farmer IN the west, and hence the
migration Of western farmers to the south
is steadily growing in proportions.
The Tribune. however insists that Gen.
Catchings is wrong; that what has kept
western people from the south is that the
negroes are not accorded all the freedom
at the ballot box that the white people
have. The Tribune would not think it
was fulfilling it's mission If it failed to
improve every opportunity to insist that
the blacks are unjustly treated in the
south. STILL it fails to explain why it IS
that the negroes stick to the south m
preference to going to the cheap lands
Of the west or seeking employment az
the north
The truth is the negroes have very
little to complain of In the south. and
they do very little complaining. They are
better OFF, and are better treated than
the same class Of people of any other
country on the face of the globe They
know this, and that is why they are
sticking to the south and doing very
little complaining. The Tribune and other
northern republican papers are doing
much more than they are to make it APP
pear that they have great grievances.
AS for the western movement of farm
ers and others to the south, it is assum-
ing large proportions. An excellent class
of northern and western home-seekers are
coming to Georgia. They are cordially
received and are well satisfied with the
change. In our dispatches yesterday it
was announced that Gov. Northen had
about arranged for a colony of 10000 west
ern people, composed of ex-federal SOL
diers, their wives and children, who de-
sire a milder climate They will find
homes probably in Southern Georgia, and
in a very little while they will be pros
porous farmers. They will find that the
negroes are not Objectionable. In fact,
they will come TO the conclusion that they
are needed and necessary. In South Geor-
gia they viii find fine climate and a
good farming country. 1t now seems to
be probable that the migration from the
west to the south, particularly to Geor-
gia and Florida, will assume very large
proportions.