Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-03
THE DEPORTATION IDEA.


General Nj G. Butler. of South Caro-
lima. is. credited with the suggestion that
the Federal Government ought 20 appro-
pirate H0,O0gO, in order to allow the
negroes 70 colonize separate and apart
from the whites.
There is no section of this country
where they could establish themselves as
sole masters, and, therefore, the purpose
in view could only Dc accomplished, If
at all. by deportation.
Deportation, as a project is not new,
and il is not practical The negro would
not go unless forced TO. and We know
Of no country that would welcome him.
il transported to Africa he would be hem
med in between line of naked
natives and another OF rapidly increasing
European immigrants who have come 10
take possession Of the land and who do
not mean TO be intcrfered with by ne
ygroes, either of the baser or better sort.
But if forcible deportation were feasible
otherwise. the cost of it would be
appalling. All the ships in the world
would be needed if 1t were proposed to do
the work speedily, and the public trea-
sury would be bankrupted well-nigh.
What is more, the southern people
would not be willing for the negro TO so,
upon the instant. a few years ago, in a
neighboldng State labor agents who went
there TO employ colored people for rail-
way and mining companies i'm the South
west met with hostile reception from
the people. and found it prudent 10 leave
between TWO suns. Some States now have
laws intended to prevent any ones coax
ing their laborers TO leave. We may i'm
ugine, but we can scarcely exaggcrate,
the confusion and paralysis that would
fan upon the agricultural portions of
the South If the negro should be sud-
denly removed. In the course of time,
no doubt. other laborers would come i'm.
but what would be the condition of the
planter mean while? And then where
would a cheaper labor come from? Not
from Europe, certainly, ana Chinese inn
migration is forbidden.
OF course, the deportation Of the negro
population Is not to be seriously thought
OF. however beneficial it might be TO our
country IN the far future. IL the north
ern members OF Congress were willing 20
vote Tor measures looking TO forcibie de-
portation-an unlikely thing, as it would
mean a surrender on their part of politi-
cal power in the Union-the southern
members would refuse to take away the
mainstay OF the southern planter and
farmer
While we may dismiss the deportation
scheme as idle and visionary in The eX-
IRENE. well knowing that neither the rub
lie sentiment OF the country nor the
courts are ready to sustain it, ii is worth
while 10 consider If present conditions in
the south can continue. In our opinion
they cannot. If race troubles multiply
In the next decade as they have multi
Piled in the past two years, we may OK
pect that the blacks will be shut out Of
some southern communities. Public feel
ing is now 80 much wrought up, we may
at any time, hear OF violent
uprisings Of the whites against the
blacks. whore men Of the latter race defy
The laws and outrage the feelings Of the
whites.
The ballot has not elevated the black
man in the social scale. II has only made
him foolish puppet in the hands of
wicked leaders. Present conditions JUS
ufy those States that have disfranchiscd
The negro and encourage other States 10
follow. tho same course
The most disheartening thing about
these race troubles is that the better
class OF negroes DO not sufficiently assert
themselves against The lawbreakers Of
'heir race After we have taxed our
selves for more than quarter of CEN
@iy 10 educate them. We have the right
- expect them 20 array themselves more
ssuFely than they do against their crimi-
Nal classes. As 1t Is. most OF them are