The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-11
FRIDAY AUGUST IL, 1899.
PLANS FOR SETIL LING THE RACE
QUESTION

1t has been frequently suggested
within a year or two that the best So
luton of the negro question is deporta-
ton of all negroes from the south. Bish-
op Turner, an able egro Methodist, is
strongly in favor of sending all to Al
RIGA. Others are for putting them into
a large territory in the west. Still an
other class think the best plan is to send
them all into the north, distributing all
over that great and extensive section.
This is recently advocated by The New
Orleans Picayune. 1t thinks the plan
is to distribute 5000, 900 blacks among
so, 900, 900 whites "up there" This is
an idea that would become very popu-
lar in the south if there were any prob
ability, much less a guarantee, that 1t
could ar would be done. 1t really looks
now more and more that race con-
ficts are inevitable in the south under
existing circumstances. Every few
weeks you hear Of trouble. There is a
respectable class of negroes who de-
sire the good will and good opinion OF
all white men. But there is another
class hat are lawless and reckless and
ready for a "rucus" at any hour of day
or night. They invariably sympathize
with and seek to defend the black
.scoundrels who perpetrate an outrage
and commits an offence against law
and society. We do not believe The
Picayune's plan will ever work, be-
cause half of the negroes will not wish
to go, and the great majority in the
north will not have them to come.
Recently The Washington Post had
an editorial on the negroes in that cap
itol city. There are 10000 now there.
1t says the conduct of the negroes is
unbearable-that negro wenches shove
whites from the sidewalks and take
possession of parks and all public places
where people do congregate. We did
not see the article, but a leading mer-
chant of our city gave us an account
of what is said of negroes who behave
themselves so badly and Extensively in
a large city where the president, cabi-
net, supreme court and h congress
sits. What will they do if they should
get into the rural districts and the
smaller towns. The northern whites
would then learn how it is for them
selves. The north could kick high at
such An invasion by 100000 and with it
would throw overheard all their sickly
sentimentality, negrophilism and intense
philanthropy at long range. The
.Lynchburg News sees the matter in the
right light and says:
But no northern community wants a
large immigration of negroes, good, pad
and Indifferent. If the 100000 negroes
Of the southern states could be trans
ported to the north, the negro propLem
would soon reach an acute stage. oee
how the negroes were received or ratn-
er were not received at Pana, Ill. Ger
tain it is, the negro would not mo COIL
genial surroundings in any or the
northern states. The south is his home
and will continue to be his home as long
as the race remains in the united
States. According to present appear
ances that will be for an indefinite time
in the future"
Mrs. jefferson Davis took her universal
ly and greatly lamented daughter Win
ME into the north for a rome because
she saw the dangers awaiting the south
in the racial disturbances. She is con-
fident that they are Inevitable n Will
continue. II they do continue the south
will become through necessity one great
camp. The white men are re-
solved to rule and a large body of ne
groes are resolved not to be ruled, and
--.-G - IN1J,y o011icinnC a ND
most frequent A gloomy prospect
truly. The better class of whites-the
most peaceful and just-and the better
class of negroes-the law-abiding and
industrious-could live in peace and
harmony. But the rowdies and tramps
and drinkers who do not regard the
of God or man, and who are al
ways on the lookout for a disturbance
and swift to lend a helping nd-th
fellows of the lbaser sort are scattered
all over the south, n are found IN
every community, and they will fnevl-
tably invite trouble from time to time.
We heard a gallant ex-confederate with
white locks say recently, that while
there were many worthy, estimable ne
groes to be treated kindly and sympa-
~thetically, the great mass hated the
whites" If that be so, then h con-
of racial disturbances would
seem to be unavoidable. Only Sunday
last at Greenville, Sc, a flourish
ing town of some $1,000 inhabitants, a
small race riot occurred resulting in
one white man n five ne
-groes. A bad negro started the conflict.
Let us have peace" as General Grant
said when near the close of life.
1t is not improbable that Bishop Iurn-
er's plan to colonize all the negroes III
the land of their ancestors may become
popular and the final outcome.
An amusing but perhaps e sug-
-gestion is made by a Baptist paper