The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-18

Two Generations Ahead of Our South
ern Negroes.

Augustus" in the New York Observer
How people live SO thrifty in Bermuda
and with so little exertion, is a standing
enigma. Nobody is in haste and few have
anything special to do. For a considerable
time after the dinner hour it appears to be
immaterial whether business houses are
open or closed steamer days excepted
and there is plenty of time for entertain
ments, regattas and music in the public
square by the imperial band. Common la
borers get about 81 q day, and the best me-
chanicS, such as carpenters and maSons
not over six shillings, or $3.50 Beef costs
nearly as much as in New York, and
strange to say, vegetables are but little
cheaper, while buildings used as tenements
divided into such small apartments as
to return large rents. For all this people
off every class and color dress WELL and
seem to lack no substantial comfort The
public schools are wholly surrendered to
the colored population, whites preferring
to patroniZe private institutions. Therefore
while there is no class antagonism, there is
little direct communication beyond the ne
cessities of business intercourse Colored
men as a rule drive the coaches, sail the
boats, and make the laboring force in all
lines of industry, whether in mechanics or
agriculture. On the local steamboats, all
hands are colored-captain, crew and engi-
neers. Even the pilots to conduct the big
steamers into port are all colored and of
acknowledged competency. COlored people
have their own church edifce, but have
regular place assigned them at other houses
of worship. Evidently so far as color is
concerned, all controversy has ceased in
Bermuda, each race treating the other with
respectful consideration. In no community
are the ordinary courtesies observed with
a more scrupulous regard, especially in the
intercourse with visitors from abroad. The
almost total disappearance of the strictly
negro type of phySiOgnomy is at once no
ticeable. Already all of the colored popuIa-
ton are Europeanizing to some extent, not
not only in features but in complexion lam
guage and dress. In fact not a few Of the
beSt-lOOking, most genteel and prosperous
among them are hardly distinguishable
from the Caucasian race. 1t is also to be
set down in their favor that they are uni
fnp ey,o1r to % 9x
BADGES niger, who is prone to be insult
ferably insolent.
There are few, if any, low-down and dis
reputable blacks. They are sometimes
called lazy, but 1 think this is said by peo-
pie who contrast them with workers in
the Northern States of America, which is
unfair. Nobody works in Bermuda as real
workmen do in the States or in Europe.
Compared with the negro of our Southern
States, the black Bermudians as a whole
are a. least two generations ahead. They
live in clean and nice houses, they dress
neatly their churches and schools are we'll
attended and interesting; they are not
loungerS and idlers and drunkards; and
most of the hard work of the islands in
saving out blocks or limestone, building
houses, driving horses and asses, loading
ana unloading vessels plotting and sailing
all ortS of craft into and about the har-
Dor cultivating the onions, potatoes and
lilies, boxing and barreltng and shipping
the same and acting as servants on all oc-
tables OF a few hotels is done by intelli-
gent, handy, respectful and competent
blacks. Eermuqa Is the WhlteSt ana clean
est place that l nave seen IN any part OF
the world; its streets are better swept, it's
houses are better garnished, its every de-
tail is as white and bright ana pure as
soap and lime and water and work can
make it, nd the credit of this wilderness
and light Is due, in large degree 10 the
industry and honest labor of the black
population, whom some writer's call i'm
provident and lazv." 1t is Yankee libel
upon race that have much TO be proud
Of in the position which they have gained
in the two generations since they were
emancipated from slavery. / have seen all
the operations of agriculture, and building
and navigation, and ordinary transporta-
ton carried on with neatness dispatch
end success, by the black men Of Bermuda.
and / am sure they are not lazy, even
compared with the people there.