The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-26

The Unaided solution of the Southern
Race Problem.

Much has been said and written about
the race problem confronting the South.
No solution Of it yet proposed has met
general acceptance. Probably the discus
Sion Of the question thus far has resulted
I'm little beyond securing recognition O..
its Importance as only less than that Oh
slavery Itself. Are we drifting then' ana
are We 70 continue 10 Drift as before lle
war. until danger becomes Imminent anu
critical? How fares it with the patent
who has rejected the prescriptions OF the
social doctors? II is the cheerful thesis
of a noteworthy article by Mr.. A. ,.
Van de Graaff. Of Alabama, which "il
appcar in the May Forum, that all -
wen; that the problem is already IN pro-
cess OF solution by the spontaneous opera
ton Of the same fundamental economic
law which, under the different conditions
Of slavery, brought it into existence.
The race problem, In Mr. Van de
CRAFTS opinion. arises out Of the IN
equal distribution Of the negroes in the
United States. '.It Will certainly be
agreed that. II the negroes now Wiihh
our border, were evenly distributed over
the country so that in no state or region
did they form more than Onc-eighth OF It's
nopulation we would have no race pro-
blero in the sense in which We commonly
speak OF II as existing now. IL Is the
presence OF an undue proportion Of ne
rroes I'm the Southern States that at once
gives rise to the race problem and makea
il a question belonging peculiarly 10 the
South" Mr.. Van de Graaff gives the re-
suit Of his investigations. extending over
a number OF years. into the movement
of negroes I'm the South. and the results
as he presents them in'his Forum article
are very striking. Tor they show con-
clusively that over much the greater por-
ton of the South the race problem does
not exist in the sense in which he has
defined it, In the whole South the ten
Gencv is toward n more equal distribution
Of the blacks and the dissipation OF black
maiorties. A remarkable tendency also
exists on the part OF the negro 10 DRIFT
away from the farms into the cities.
This passing OF the negro from the fields
into the towns Is. I'm MI Van De CRAFTS
opinion. obviously n fact Of the greatest
importance, not only in its bearing upon
his status and distribution within the
South itself. but also upon the question
whether he is 10 remain In the South
in relatively excessive numbers and rs an
element of its population not shared I'm
an Improbable degree by the North. once
loosed from the stability Of country life.
taught to maintain himself in the city
and placed on the great highways Of
travel the negro has take; the first
and longest step out OF the South alto
gether The transition from Richmond 20
Philadelphia. or from Nashville 20 Chi
cego. Is comparatively easy, and IL may
be made by easy stages" In bflcf Mr..
Van de Graaf's figures suffice 10 show
that the negro is capable OF migration
on a large scale, and that neither bv
choice nor necessity is ne 10 remain fixed
I'm the Southern States. Mr.. Van de
toll
notable one 10 IL. too-with a lust tribute
TO the South's practically undeveloped re-
sources and houndess possibilities. Hc
says: Great as has been the Industrial
advance made, considerable as appears
the present immigration movement. they
but family foreshadow the development
now at hand. II 90 much has been done