The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-26
VENEY'S COLONY.
The Topeka COlOred Preacher
Who is Organizing
Negro COlOnists of the United
States to Go
TO CUBA TO SETTLE.
Not Deferred by the Opposition
of the Cubans.
Says the Cubans Have Been
MisinfOrmed, That's All.

Rev. John T. Veney, the Topeka COL
ored man who is expecting to take a
colony of cOlOred people to settle near
| Santiago de Cuba, does not believe the
reports regarding the opposition of the
Spanish and native Cubans to his COM
ing there with his colony. He ac-
knowledges that there may be some op-
position in Cuba, but he says that it all
comes from the ex-southerners who
have settled in Havana and other pla-
ces and who are attempting to stir up
public sentiment there against the ne
groes of the United States.
Mr.. Veney believes that these ex-
southerners are responsible in a great
measure for the reports which have ap-
peared in the papers regarding the OPP
position around Santiago to his coloni-
zation scheme.
Il do not wish to say very much
about it, he said, because the more
the matter is stirred up the worse it
will become. Our enemies are trying to
create the impression down there that
we intend to march down and take
possession of the land. They need
have no fear on that score We ex-
pect to rent or lease our land from the
Spaniards or Cubans, or whoever owns
it, and we will pay a good fair rental
IOT II. mat Is, the most OF the COIOny
will lease their lands until they accu-
mulate enough to purchase them. Part
of the colonists will have sufficient
funds to purchase their farms as soon
as we get there.
L intend to take none with me but
the better class of negro es-thOse who
are good, laW-abiding citizens. 1 want
none Of the other class Take our col
ony as a whole and we will be able to
carry on all the trades and employ
ments. There are some mechanics and
machinists in the number, but the
most will be farmers
Since the Journal published an ac-
count of Mr.. Veney's scheme a few
weeks ago the news has gone all over
the United States. Mr.. Veneyt IS now
almost daily in receipt of letters of in
Quiry from all parts of the country ask
ing for information concerning his plan
and if he can not make arrangements
to take a few more. He has now ar
ranged to make his colony broader than
he at first contemplated and will take
in negroes from both the east and west.
Among the more prominent colOred peo-
pie from whom he has received letters
of encouragement and requests to be
allowed to join the expedition are G. NJ
Nickel. Chicago; James P Martin, DeS
MOines, Iowa; DR.. May, Crescent City,
Oklahoma, and J. Alice Ham1in,
teacher of st. Louis. Some Of the appH-
cants have already visited Cuba and are
acquainted with the conditions there
Nearly all of them are provided with
ready funds and can purchase land out
right upon their arrival.
Mr. Veney is now figuring on how to
aid a few poor but worthy colored fam
lilies of Topeka to get to Cuba. He
originated his plan to help this class and
he wishes to aid as many of them as
possible. The question of transportation
is the principal one which now cOnfronts
him. He has secured a railroad rate
of one cent per mile to the coast and he
as now figuring on steamship transpor-
tation. 1t is probable that the western
negroes will sail from Galveston and
the eastern ones from Tampa.
Mr. Veney is in communication with
some of the members of the Twenty
third Kansas and the reports he has
from them makes him sure of his
ground and confident that his plan will
be a success.