Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-30
STUDY OF THE NEGRO
xARNviLLE. VIRGINIA. THE on
SERVERS POINT OF VIEW.
DISCHARGE OF LEYTERGARRIERS.
Vniess Appropriation Asked by r. NJ.
9. Ia Obtained, II Is Feared That
Richmond VIII Have to suffer,
With Other ciues.

~ 1891 ~ Otff ~ ~ eHH''eS ~
tSpecial.)-The Department OF Labor hat
just Issued a bulletin on THE Negroes Ct
Fafmville, WA Social Study" by w
e. Burghardt Du Bots, Phi. ID. 1t is 9
dooumept OF some thiriy-eight pages. or
o:nary book size. and is the result Of
careful Investigation. though there are
some statements in II little surprising
Under the direction OF the Commission
or OF Labor. the present work was exc
cuted. as for many reasons II is assert
ed. the time Is ripe for undertaking
thorough study OF the economic condi-
tion OF the American negro. The investi-
cations took place during the months OF
July and August. 1897. and are the first
OF series on small. well-dehned groups
OF negroes in various parts of the coun-
try In the proposed work, the bulletin
says: There has been but the one object
OF ascertaining. with as near an approach
10 scientific accuracy as possible, the
real condition OF the negro"
The conclusion Of Mr.. Burghardt is as
follows:
"a study Of a community like Farm
vile OflDkS 10 uSHt AdIic ltANOAdbit cAN
unfavorable, and conditions good, bad,
and Indifferent just how the whole
should be interpreted u.s. perhaps. doubt
full One thing, however, 10 clear. an*
that IS the growing differentiation OF
classes among negroes, even In smaif
communities. This most natural and en-
couraging result OF thirty years develop
ment has not yet been sufficiently i'm
presred upon general students Of the sub
ftn9t g.rl
and confusion. For instance, visitor
might tell US that the negroes OF Farm
Vile are Idle, unreliable, careless with
their earnings, and immoral; another Yisi-
tor. month later might say that
Farniville negroes are Industrious. owners
OF property, and slowly, but steadily, adj
vancing in education and morals. These
apparently contradictory statements made
continually of negro groups all over
the land are but true to a degree,
and become mischievous and misleading
only when stated without reservation as
true of a whole community, when they
are in reality, true only of certain classes
in the community. The question then
becomes, not whether the negro Is lazy
and criminal, or industrious and am
bilious, but rather what, in a given COM
munity, Is the proportion of lazy 10 in
dustrious negroes of paupers to property
holders. and what is the tendency Of de-
yelopment in these classes. Bearing this
3n mind. Il seems fair TO conclude, after
an impartial study of Farmville condi-
tions. that the industrious and property
accommodating class Of the negro citizens
best represents, on the whole, the general
tendencies Of the group. At the same
time. the mass OF sloth and immortality
Is still large and threatening.
How far Farmville conditions are true
elsewhere In Virginia the present inves- |
tigator has no means of determining. He |
sought by inquiry and general study 10 |
choose a town which should in large |
degree. typify the condition OF the yir- |
ginia negro to-day How far Farmville |
fulfils this wish can only be determined !
by further study"
NORFOLK PUBLIC BUILDING.
Representative W. E. Young, of the
Second Virginia District, to-day called al
the Treasury with reference to progress
ON the plans for the public building in
the city of Norfolk. He was Informed |
that they had been returned from the
Post-Office Department with such sugges-
tions as the officials there had to make,
and were now I'm the hands of the archi-
tects in Baltimore for completion. AS
soon as they are returned the necessary
will be issued and the /
contracts will be awarded as soon there
after as possible.
DISCHARGE OF MAIL-CARRIERS.
The suspension of the order requiring |
TIE discharge of two letter-carriers at
Richrlond U.s. 1 am informed, only tenn
porary, and il Congress does not appro-
pirate the money asked for by the Post
master General ($l65. 0O0 the order will |
have to go into effect, and will reduce |
the force of carriers all over the country. |
Lamb and his colleagues |
from Virginia are looking into the mat
Ter. and are anxious to vote for the APP
preparation If the opportunity offers. The |
Speaker however. is opposed to all extra
appropriations. and is ruling against ex-
penditures with iron hand.
RELIEF BILLS.
Representative Hay to-day introduced
relief bill for NJ. c. Leech, of Warren |
county, Va. 1t provides that the Secre-
tary OF War be authorized to pay Leech /
the sum of 5000, being the amount OF
with principal and costs, OBJ
tanned in the Circuit Court for the West
ern District of Virginia IN favor of the
United States for a balance due the POST
Office Department for postage unaccount-
ed for, which failure was due to loss by
fire. Mr. Hay also introduced two war
claim bills-one for the relief Of the
JOnn MANN AttuOulSl CnuiCn tcOlOreu(,
OF Winchester, $500 being the amount
asked for, and the other for the relief OF |
Robert Omick. cofored man, of Win
chester, on account OF goods and chattels |
taken from him by the United States |
troops, the amount of the claim being
g. 200.
CONTESTED-ELDCTIO CASES.
There are no new developments as 10 |
the c0ntested-election cases from Vir- |
ginia. Unfavorable reports for the seat
ing members will probably be made by
General Walkers committee In all Of the
three contests. OF course, there will also
be minority reports, and the House or
will then decide in each
case. IL is the judgment Of experienced
men here that, notwithstanding the par
tisanshlp OF the Elections Committee and
the House. 1t is thought at least two OF
the three Democrats who have contests
will retain their seats.
National Committeeman Bowden and ].
i. Kimberly. who has been appointed
postmaster at Old Point left for home
this evening.
JUDGE EWART'S NOMINATION.
Announcements that the Judiciary Com
rnittee bad unanimously approved Judge
Ewart's nomination were based upon err
information. The nomination will
not be reached until Monday, and a sim
gle objection will carry 1t over until the
succeeding Monday. Senator Butler will
make the objection to immediate action.
He has so informed Senator Prltchard
Ills opposition TO Judge Ewart he says, |