The age-herald., 1900-03-04
Philippines for in, Negroes

A possibly satisfactory solution of the ne-
 gro problem is suggested by General A. G.
 Greenwood, a soldier and capitalist, who has traveed very extensively in all parts
 of the world
 q understand you have solved the negro
 problem" remarked a Times reporter to
 General Greenwood, at the Stevens Hhouse,
 recently
 "I don't know,'' he replied, smiling, that
 have gone so far as that, but do believe
 that have a plan which, if adopted, will
 prove of great benefit and rid the country
 of many troublesome matters.
 Why not colonfze the Philippine islands
 with members of the colored race now in
 this country? he asked "At the first
 glance" he continued it may seem a.
 difficult matter. Will the colored man want
 to go to the Philippines? will be the first
 query. l have no doubt on that score.
 They will be glad to go, and the white
 people of the south, when the question is
 once officially broached, wil1 work inde-
 fatigably to bring the scheme to a success
 fuf outcome. The only danger lies in a set
 of politicians who care for the negro only
 to the extent that he may be useful to
 them in matters political.
 Neither in the north nor south can the colored men have politics or socf al equality. That is an established fact. After thirty
 live years of freedom, little has been ac- compished to improve their condition. po- litically or socially"
 "Our war with Spain has developed remedy which will not only benefit the ne- gro, but relieve the people of the United States from future quarrels and troubles over them. We ought to thoroughly develop the Philippines by colonzing those rich islands with our negro population. We have about 100000 colored people in the United States. The very large majority Of these would hail with Joy oppor- tunity to make home in the Philippines. The climate there is just suitable to the negro, and the natives of the islands are largely offshoots of the same race. Priv ileges which have been accorded the colored people here have equipped them, so that thev could soon predominate in the islands. And there would be little necessity for
 many white troops to sustain a stable gov e'-0r'ent under American supervision. "The Philippine islands are rich and sus-
 ceptfble of producing articles that can be
 raised in any part of the world. The climate Is suitable to the negro, who, with half
 the labor necessary in other climes, can realize twice the amount in produce Tn | a short time the coored people would be- come rich and influential and I have no doubt that they would fraternize quickly with the Fiipinos.
 Tn the Philippines, under the conditions suggested, political and social relations would be united, and there would be no dis functions between the races In many of the islands less than 20 per cent of the very fertile soil is cultivated. There would be l little difficulty in acquiring, this land The government should be the purchaser, and | it should open the land to the negro very much after the manner in which lands were opened for settlement in the United States. l "This would not only afford the chance l for the engagement of white labor in the l south- but the latter section would soon be | rid of all her troubles and there would be 1 no more lynchings for the commission of l shocking crimes in southern states by ne- | groes.
 "The sooner the south looks into this | question and unites with the government to | organize colonization companies the better | it will be, and woe betide the practical pol- | iticians who place obstacles in the way. We all know what a source of trouble | the negro question htas been to the United l States. It has increased, rather than dimin- | fshed of late years. One southern state after | another has disfranchised the negro. North l Carolina proposes similar step in August. 1 Manufacturing has largely increased in the l south. and white labor is migrating there. ! By colonizing the Philippines with blacks | more avenues of employment will be opened l up to the whites, and at the same time the l immigration question will be rdinimized. 'I am satisfied the scheme win work ex- ! cellently If undertaken in the proper spirit and by the right men"