The times., 1899-08-28
DRIVING OUT THE NEGRO
Southern Blacks Forced TO Take
Refuge in Cities.
Tho1gits Suggested by the Recent
Outbreak at Orange, Texas-Hands
CoIored Residents-Mbat the Next
Census May BE Expected TO show.

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 27.-The out
break during last week against the negroes
at Orange, Tex, just across the Sabine
River from Louisiana, is only a repetition
OF similar outbreaks that have occurred
in the black belt of eastern Texas and
southwestern Louisiana during the last few
years, and which viii make itself felt in
the next census. Through all this region,
almost as great as New York. the negro is
being rapidly driven back ard is taking
refuge in the larger towns, particularly in
New Orleans. This movement to get rid Of
the negro population, while not systematic
or organized. has the support of a major
ity OF the whites. II is partly industrial
and partly racial, but it's effect is marked
that OF getting rid OF the negroes.
During the past week two Of these mob
outbreaks were reported in no wise related
TO each other, yet having the same object
in view. In TaHgipahoa parish, Louisiana.
a mob of whitecaps. after shooting into the
houses Of the negroes and killing one OF
their leaders, posted notices on all the
mills, warning the companies against en-
ploying negroes in the sawmills or on the
railroads. A postscript announced that the
negroes would be allowed to make bricks
most Of the companies conduct lumber
mills and brickyards side by side-but not
in any other industry, in logging. on the
lumber railroads or in any OF the more
lucrative industries, which il was declared
should be reserved for the whites.
The affair at Orange was identical. The
town is one of the largest lumber centres
OF the Southwest, and its mills have en-
ployed both white and negro labor. IT is
asserted that the miIlmen were displacing
white with negro employees. as the latter
were cheaper and more easily controlled.
There has been much feeling on this sub
ject for some time. Finally it broke oft
into overt action. Exactly the same course
was pursued as in Tangipahoa WhitecaDs
rode around the country, fired into a house
where a number of negroes were assem-
bled for mutual comfort and protection
and killed one and wounded several others.
This was followed by the usual skull and
crossbones letters warning the negroes to
leave Orange county.
Although there were no additional acts
OF violence. the warning letter accom-
panied with the one shooting affair, had
the desired effect, and since then the ne
groes have been leaving Orange by the
hundreds, selling their property for what
ever they could get for IL Most OF them
were Rell-to-do and owned their homes
The mill men made an appeal 10 the Gov
ernor for troops and the Houston Cavalry
There has been no disturbance since but
the presence Of the troops has not reas-
sured the negroes, who are moving out.
recognizing that the whites DO not want
them, and that their lives would be very
unpleasant If they remained.
This is the story that has come from a
score Of counties in Texas and parishes in
Louisiana in the last few years, and which
is rapidly thinning out the negro popula-
rnrTa -r~rraf4 -
black belt. which extends from Virginia
southwark and westward, and runs over
into Texas, has been steadily driven back
Tor The last ten years. Every now and
then a disturbance is reported in some part
OF this district. A negro is shot usually
not more than one and O warning given to
the bad negroes" TO leave. They do so.
and probably good many Others, and from
mat time forward there IS a more or less
steady negro emigration from that dis
ulct- The consequence has been that ali
The coast countries Of Texas and Louisiana
nave been growing steadily whittier by the
departure OF the negroes and the coming
10 OF whites whereas nearly all the
parishes Of Louisiana west OF New Orleans
had majority Of negroes ten years ago
they are white today; and Jefferson
Pisquemines. Assumption, Lafourche
Iberia, st. Martin, and st. Landry have
changed their maiorities from black to
white The negro population. which has
been al a standstill. is now decreasing. The
negroes are shut out Of many industries
IN which they were employed formerly
and are BOW being crowded out Of planta-
tion work.
The consequence Of these disturbances
and the emigration Of the negro from the
rural districts is TO drive them into the
towns. and particularly into New Orleans
where there has been an extraordinarily
large increase of blacks The census viii
show an increase Of from so 10 so per cent
IN the decade. in spite of the excessive
mortality running up 10 SO in a thousand
year. The negro population of New
Orleans is not f-pe-petuating. With a
high mortality and low birth rate, the
negroes would soon die out but for the
newcomers from the rural districts. These
are pouring in by the thousands from Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, and Texas until the
problem promises to be troublesome. and
70 arouse a strong antagonism TO them
So far, the prejudice has been latent, but
in the last few months there have heen
mutterings which promise i'll for The ne
groes. The condition In New Orleans in
this respect is rapidly approaching that Of
hfty years ago. when the city became negro
by large majority, calling forth ex-
tremeiy radical legislation TO make il
white again. At that time. the large ele-
Try parishes very unpleasant because Of
the strong race prejudice existing. whereas
IN New Orleans there was comparat tive
freedom and large free eolored society
Every free negro who could came to THE
city. with the consequence that when the
census was taken it seemed that a ma
5ority OF The population was colored. This
produced such a disagreeabie impression
that the Legislature set TO work 10 reduce
the negro population Of New Orleans.
which WAS done by such onerous laws di-
rected against the free negroes. as TO drive
many of them 10 France. The conditions
OF granting slave freedom were such that
the owner was required 10 give bond that
the slave would never become an object
of public charity. and emancipations be-
came far less frequent, and the free negro
population decreased instead of increased.
There has been considerable prejudice
aroused against the negroes in New Orleans
by the fact that they have crowded into
many Of the trades, working for low wages
thus forcing out the whites They have
almost monopolized bricilaying and all the
building trades, and they are doing most
OF the paving and other public work
Against this there have been numerous
protests from the white labor unions. and
several attempts have been made to shut
out the negroes but In vain. An attempt
is being made 10 Feorganize the various
unions and unite them into a central couu-
ell and II this Is done, the color line
NAY be drawn This was nor done of old
and while the negroes were organized int
different unions. they had the same recog-
milton in the labor councils; indeed. the big
strike in &=w Orleans OF ten years ago