The record-union., 1895-04-29
WILL THE MICRO EMIeRArE 3

There has been in recent months un-
usual exodus of negro laborers and their
families from the Southern States. Ad-
vices at hand relative to those who went
to Mexico under contracts are very dis
couraging, and it is alleged that the men
and women, and even the children, find
themselves in state of slavery and are
SO i'll supplied with necessaries that many
are sick and those who can are returning.
March 18th Danish steamer from Sa-
vannah took 1877 negro emigrants to Lii
IBERIA, and there are more to follow soon.
Whether these emigrants and those who
have preceded them are to be to Liberia
what the emigrants who came to America
following the time of the Pilgrim
fathers proved to this country, is as yet a
question to be determined.
Liberia has been State eighty years,
but has not drawn very heavily upon
American negro population, less than
10000 of them and their defendants now
being in that State. The new population
is now being badly pushed coastward by
the aboriglnees, and Liberia must needs
get more people from abroad soon or the
aboriginal tribes will take the State. This
fear is very gravely discussed. 1t is
probable, therefore, that there will be
still more vigorous efforts made to induce
Southern negroes to go out to Liberia.
The younger of our negroes are disin-
clined to go, and the Liberians are not
desirous of having the old come. This
may check the scheme of emigration.
Mexico is not likely to secure many
more negroes for her plantations, since
the return of the escaped contract labor
ers, whose stories of cruelty and deceit
on the part of the Mexicans have been
made public. 1t does not appear, there
fore, that the output of negroes from the
South will be very great in this era of
time.
Bishop Turner of the African NJ. Z.
Church for Africa is urging emigration.
He wants one-fourth of all our negro pop
ulation to go to the African coast, but he
wants the young, strong and vigorous,
and, as we have said, these for the most
part prefer to live among whites, and
under the American Government. It is
doubtful, says the Boston Herald lind. },
if it is desirable to send away laboring
population. The Times Union DEM of
Jacksonville. Florida, pronounces against
all emigration schemes, and declares that
they are frauds. The Macon TeLeqruDh
(Dem.) sheds tears over the departure of
such negroes as recently sailed for Lii
IBERIA, pities them deeply, and declares
that the South has no faith in such
schemes. The Charleston NeUs- Courier
(Dem.l, on the other hand, bids the negro
go if he win not live in peace with whites
and be content to mot rule over the
white men of the State" The Indian
spolis Journal (Rep.) thinks emigration a
mistake, and says that Africa is no more
fit for American colored people than
American white people, conclusion that
to us seems justified by study of the con-
ditions in Liberia, and the experience of
Americans there.
The Washington Post Qnd.) and the
Milwaukee Journal Dem.) scout the idea
that Liberia is better for the negro than
America, and both bid him stay here and
make himself useful to the civilization OF
the land. The Memphis ComDaerciaL-
appeal (Dem.), on the contrary, insists
that the emigration idea is not visionary,
that it is best for the negro and the coun-
try that he should go to other parts, since
''there is for him here no future" So,
along the whole line of journalism, opin-
ions divide very evenly between the
two sides of the question. We conclude,
however, that there will not be any large
outgoing of American negroes. They are
here to stay.
A PROGRESSIVE PAPER.