The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-10-27
Negro Emigration.

Bishop Henry NJ. Turner, of Geor-
sia, who is one Of the best known and
most highly educated negro ministers
in the United States, was in Washing
ton few days this week, and gave the
Evening Star the following interview
touching the emigration Of negroes to
Africa, in which movement the Bishop
is the recognized head, and with which
he has been identified for a number of
years. Bishop Turner is an enthusi-
asst on the emigration question, and
does not hesitate to say that it is only
question Of determination or emi gra-
tion for the negro. He has given the
question years of study, and has been
censured and abused by both the
white and colored races, but this has
not caused him to depart one iota
from his beliefs and purposes regard
ing African emigration.
Replying to question Bishop Tur-
ner said:
Some of you gentlemen Of the
press have seen fit to give me an occa-
sional roasting, but l am pleased to
say that in most instances the press
has been ready to give my followers
and myself justice. We have done
nothing in this matter except in an
open and straightforward manner, and
we have kept no one in the dark about
anything concerned with the move
ment. 1t has been our aim to give it
the widest publicity possible, and I
am even willing that I should be
caricatured and lambasted by the press
if by so doing it will aid in any way
in spreading the truths of our mission
and our work.
IT think the future of the negro
race lies in Africa, his natural home,
and the richest country on earth.
Africa is the negro's fatherland, and
the sooner he goes the better for him.
This movement is far-reaching, and
will change the entire history Of our
race. 1t has simply come down to
determination or emigration for the
negro. Any intelligent man who has
given the matter consideration realizes
that. Why is it so? Simply from
the fact that statistics show that the
negro race is dying out. It is not
growing healthier, wealthier, happier,
wiser or anything else which goes to
make life worth living.
"God Almighty, in His infinite
goodness and wisdom, made Africa
for the negro and the negro for Africa.
I believe this just as much as | do
that the sun shines. If had 5,O0o,-
900 would invest every cent in ships,
and would see that every negro who
wished to 60 to Africa got there.
"Now, some of my people want to
know why I do not go to Africa and
stay there. I believe | am needed
here, but the very moment | can get
fifty thousand or one hundred thou
sand negroes to go with me, am off
like quarter horse, and will think
it the best days work ever accom-
plished.''
"Do you not think that white and
colorcd people get along very easily in
this country ?" he was asked.
eyes, but the negro race can never
be more than hewers of wood and
drawers of water here. The giant
race-the white race-wil always
reign supreme in America. John
Temple Graves, gentleman for whom
I have the highest regard, said in one
of his speeches that the negro would
never be allowed to control in this
country, even where he has majority.
Mr.. Graves also said that the price
of the negro's peace was his subordi-
nation.
"This being true, how can the negro
ever hope to attain here Che full
stature Of citizen or man =? Intel
ligent negroes well know that Mr..
Graves has not uttered these truths
from personal prejudice, for he has
plead the negro's cause as but few
men in the South have.
"And what does the great states
man, Senator Morgan, OF Alabama,
say? He says that the negro will
never receive social recognition here,
and that the negro had better be
slave than a free man without social
recognition, if he expects to remain
in this country
"Has the African emigration move
ment met with the approval OF ma
jority of the negro race p
''No, indeed, but, on the contrary,
lot of ignorant negroes have opposed
it from it's very inception. They prate
about the sickness of Africa and
many other things Of which they are
in dense ignorance. The thoughtful
and intelligent Of the white race en-
dorse the emigration policy, and it
will yet prove success and OF untold
blessings to the negro race.
"There is some chance, too, ct the
negro being re-enslaved if he prefers
to stay here. Some people are unkind
enough to say that this kind of talk
comes from disordered bla!n, but
that kind of stuff does not annoy me
in the least.
"Africa is one of the very richest
countries on earth, and with line Of
steamers, owned and controlled by
negroes, plying between that great
country and the United States, the
negro would soon grow rich and pros
porous by selling to the whites Of this
country minerals, precious ores, gems,
ivory and thousand things which are