davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The colored American., 1901-07-20
COPY OF LETTER FROM LIBERIAN
CONSUL CENTRAL.
LIBERIAN CONSULATE GENERAL,

OUu \hufCu d. INdSuViI C. 1eilU
Dear Sir: Ftequent inquiries have
been made at this Consulate General as
TO the chances and prospects, of success
Of the American Negro in Liberia.
OF course, as in every enterprise, the
success or failure Of the emigrsnt will
be determined by his individuality.
Tue shiftIess meier do we'll can no more
succeed in Liberia than in any other
country.
The first few years of sn emigrants
life are by no means years of luxury
Going, as he must. into new country
with new customs and condition s, be
must first become acquainted with the
ways Of the people who are to become
his future countryman. and st the fret
OF his sojourn he must be prepared to
work not only with his hands but with
his brains as well, :hen after awhile
come the harveet and he who has sOWn
we'll will surely leap success,
The chances of success for the Ameri-
can Negro who goes to Liberia are
three fold greater than thos which he
may expect i'm America. Here, in
many cases, he lives in hand to
mouth condition always the en- mployee,
sci fom the employer. His chances to
raise beyond certain sphere are limit
ed by that sccurse- Scion OF Slavery,
Pcedjudlce, and even though he may, by
NJ IN =
education that is on par with that of
his white brother, unle "a he speedily
puts his educstion aside and seeks
manual labor, hIs chances for starving
welcome to knew edge bu refused the
right 10 earn living with it Such are
the conditions as they exist in Ameri-
Ca today. o. course there are excep
ti)ns, but the ex3eptio II prove the
rnle
LiOer is a ltry of the NeQrn,
by the Negro ana for the Negro. Each
gOOd citizen has the welfare of his
low citizen, has race, and his C)uutry
(three tnIngs that make one) &C heart
Here, there is no prejudice for I'll are
the Sons Of II lm and are endeavnriug
10 inscribe their names as such upon
the record books of PosteTity. IN
plain English the Negro in Liberia, by
d mt of hard work, may become great
or remain insigniti ,ant, according TO
his industry, ambition and intellect,
There is no bar against Negro ates-
man for all the statesman srs Negroes;
aud citizenship and the right of suffer
age are not extended to those OF the
Caucasian race.
The emigrsnt going to Liberia should
carry with him hIs kitchen end hOu9e-
hold furniture ard sufficient money to
support himself and family for one or
two years while waiting for his crops.
for the basis of the weslth of the cOun-
try are It's agricultural products, Emi-
grants after reaching Liberia and look
ing around aud selecting a site for set
tlement will receive from the govern
ment, gratis, 3 grant OF 25 Sc es for
each family and 10 acres for single
adults. On this he must build house
and make slIving by working his land
Natives can be hired 10 Clesr aud st
about the value of Il yards Of calico
per acre and can be bired to deliver
The colored American., 1901-07-20

The of The Bay Shore
Hampton Old Point, RH
will be the public
This Resort il nCdefgoaR
viOn accommodate
The equipment thorough, lie eIsth best
SUD
LARGE HALL LIQUORS
Correspondence ddress.
BAY SHORE HOTEL COMPANY,
o Bnx36
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09
1ET wErUMPKA WAKE UP.

When the cars of the Montgomery Northern pull into our city and the wheels of the Wetumpka Manufacturing Com pany begin to turn, 1t will be glorious day for Wetumpka.-Wetump Herald
 It has always been matter of sur prise to us that the magnificent water power at Wetumpka has lain so long dormant and useless. Twenty miles east the town of Tallassee Is literal hive of manufacturing industry, where the air is filled with the hum and rattle of machinery hardly ever silent. Twen- ty miles west the thrifty little town of Prattville fairly trembles with the mu- sic of looms and spindles. and workers in wood and metal and almost every other form of human labor. Both towns are prosperous and prospering, but Wetumpka is almost as silent as a churchyard, as compared with her busy neighbors on each side.
 Fifty or sixty years ago almost all the machinery in Alabama was driven by water power, but for some reason that has been largely superseded by steam, mainly, we imagine, because steam machinery can be located any, where, while water mills and factories must be placed by the side of shoals which will supply needed power. But the time has come when economy is the principal factor in every kind of manufacturing. and water furnishes the cheapest power in the world, where the conditions are favorable, as they are in many sections of Alabama. Whether the water is used directly to drive the machinery. or is used to sup ply electric power. it is cheap and con- stant. and is again growing into favor
 At Wetumpka Is a splendid site for manufacturing enterprises and it ought to be utilized. The Coosa can furnish power 10 make that one of the most prosperous ana profitable factory towns In the State, and the project to build new railroad lines ought to stimulate capital and enterprise in the direction of building mills and factories to work up the natural and artificial products of the surrounding country. Thousands of bales of cotton are grown in the vi- cinity, much of which could be profit ably worked up into thread and cloth to the advantage of producers. manu- lecturers and consumers.
 Equally important. is the stock of both hard and soft woods which abound in the region accessible to Wetumpka. and which ought to be utilized by all means. Timber of all kinds is growing
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09
ALABAMA AT BUFFALO.
The State Capitol Done in Corn at
 the Exposition.

The following notice of the Alabama exhibit at Buffalo is from The Buffalo Courier of a recent date:
 That is the first apitol of the Con- federacy ct Montgomery, Ala. It is the State capitol also. It is quite 2 historic building. for on its steps Jeff Davis tc ok the oath of office. It s faithfully reproduced in corn.'
 R. W. German, Commissioner from Alabama, gave this information yes- terday to a party of Northerners who were attratced into the Alabama pa vilion by the sight of the building of corn.
 Interesting historically" remarked the man 10 whom the remarks were mainly addressed. "as connected with the history of the Civil War"
 ''Uncivil war, sir, the most uncivil war which was ever waged," re- remarked Mir. German.
 But ycu people are just as glad as we are that it ended as it did, and that slavery is wiped ou;?'
 Yes. sir, we are, and we are glad that we are one people. Why, here are six boys from my town fighting in the Philippines because those little brown folks out there won't respect the flag
 But we are using our swords today. sir. continued the Commissioner, ito dig coal and coke. Alabama is today the third coal and coke producing state in the Union. We also do a little farm ing. Last year Alabama raised and shipped to market 1.150.0 bales of cot ton and got 10 cents pound for it. over $60. .000, COO
 This is just a sample of the way the enterurising State Commissioners at the Pan-American Exposition are filling the ears of visitors full of information which Is widening their ideas of this great country. The enterprising Com missioners, who represent growing Western and Southern States, which are seeking an inhuex of Eastern people and capital, never lose a chance to do this, but just as Commissioner German did in the foregoing colloquy, turn every conversation to the advan- tage of the State which sent them here to represent it.
 Thousands of people who visit the Pan American are under the impress sion that the States and nations which have sent such fine exhibits here have done so just to show their good will to the people of New York State and the city of Buffalo. This is true only in part. Good will is factor which entered into the calculation with all of them, but the States which seek pop ulation and capital for their further development have sent the right kind of exhibits and the right kind of men to represent them to attract the dollars and the best people of the East their way. That is what they are nere for. Propositions are valuable business en- terpriSeS for them,
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09
SCORING ITS PARTY.

The Huntsville Tribune is a Repub- lican paper. but 1t Is one of the few which is not blind to the faults of its Party. In a recent editorial is uses this language:
 To the high kickers of the Republican Party who are damning Democratic tn- tegrity, we have this very pointed rebuke: If the Republican Party of Alabama had been so unfortunate as to have gained control of the State of Alabama in the last ten years. 1t would not have had the stability, moral, and personal standing to have maintained it in a dignified and creditable way. In other words, the class of men who have afflicted Republican conventions would have been a discredit to State control Indeed. we believe that if the better element of the Republican Party of Alabama had been fully assured of success in the State, they would have their own party. Hard. indeed, would have been the trials. and great the hu- initiation of a man had he been elected Governor and been surrounded ny the swarm who surround the Republican con- ventions.
 That is a severe arraignment. but 1t is true, every word of it, and 1t might have added that hard would have been the condition of Alabama, had 1t fallen under the domination of the class of Republicans who have controlled the movements of the Party in recent years. We doubt if the former experience of the State under Republican rule would have been as bad.
 There are good men. many of them, in the ranks of the Republican Party in Alabama, but as a rule they take little part in the political or other affairs of the State. They have with good reason been disgusted with the acts and management of those who have taken and held control of the Party, formulated it's plans and dictated it's policies, and have had little to do with Party affairs. Whether the practical elimination of the negro influence will cause the better element of the Party to take active interest in politics re- mains to be seen, but we think that will be the natural effect, and that the really good men of the Party will not in future have cause to be ashamed of their political affiliations.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09
AT THE voLcANo's CRATER.
Americans Reached Its Brink and
 Were There Photographed.

Chicago Chronicle.
 A party of Americans touring in Mexico recently accomplished the un- usual feat of ascending to the ecge of the crater of Mount Popocatapetl' the famous volcano of the North Amer ican continent. A member of the par ty in describing the trip says the crater is A marvel and well worth hard tourney to see. "A large and gloomy nit it is." he says, tits steep sides emit fling sulphurous smoke and fumes. and it's perpendicular walls descending, 1t is said, to a depth of 1900 feet. At the bottom is small lake of emerald green. surrounded by volcanic rocks and deposits of sulphur. At the top there is a ledge of rock at the crater's S edge, from which we made our obser- vations of the crater and upon which we were photographed. l did not ob- serve any difficulty of breathing or any noticeable increase of heart action, but several members of the party were panting painfully and were hardly able to speak. One of my comrades told me that he could feel his heart beat through his coat and sweater. The temperature was very cold, but it seemed to be modified somewhat by the natural warmth of the crater. and we were prot ected against the icy wind outside"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09
TREAT HIM FAIRLY.
The Negro Has Demonstrated His
 Loyalty in Many Ways.

Editor The Advertiser:
 The unspoken fear shat rankles at the heart Of many Southern white man is that of negro supremacy. Such thing is nigh impossible. No race has ever stood for any length of time against tho Anglo-Saxon race. In a community where there are two classes of people. the exact opposite of each other in every respect. there can be no equality of strength. The stronger race will rule, and the we1ker class must abide by its decisions.
 It has ben proved beyond a doubt that the white man is to be master in the South. The white man with cen turies of ltarning behind him is the stronger mentally, and intellect gener- ally triumms over brute strength. But can we blame the negro for his lack of educati n? Is it possible that ra12 which has been in bondage two hun dred and fifty years, to become ir tfirty-five years the intellectual equal of the white man? And. was 1t the regro's fault that he was taken from his home and forced into slavery? Another hing wherein we make . mistake is Tn confounding social liberty with political freedom. As that great negro, Booker Washington, said in his memorable speech at the Atlanta EX- EOSllIOH III dlA liiASo PNi SAS we can be as separate as the fingers on the hani" Intelligent negroes over all the South recognize the truth of this statement This important fact IS being gradually impressed upon the minds of the negro youth of this coun- try, thanks to such men as washing ton. As soon as the negro realizes that lis is an Inferior race and that ne can not do all that the white man IS doing then the two races will live side by side in pefect harmony.
 I believe it Is the duty Of every Southern white man to gee that the negro Is given fair treatment in all matters pertaining to his welfare-es- peciallv ahould he be given justice in the suffrage Any law that allows an ignorant white man to vote because his grandfather or fourth cousin fought in some wal and excludes the ignorant negro, is a most ridiculous and unjust law indeed It is not worthy of South arn gentlemen to ma&e rules that may mean one thing for the white man and another when applied to the black.
 Disfranchising the negro will not solve the race question. It will only make matters worse than they are. The negro will become dlscontented and believe the white man is trying to rob him of his liberties.
 We should not disfranchise the negro
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09
DON'T FEAR THE PEOPLE.

The Advertiser has carefully re- trained from undertaking to advise the members of the Constitutional Conven- tion as to the proper provisions for the new instrument. This paper has constantly asserted from the very day it scanned the list Of nominees for the body that it was made up of as able and pat,iclic men as the State con- tained. And the more we set of the hody, the more this judgment is im- pressed upon us. Such men need little outside material for their work.
 Yet we may be pardoned if we ven- ture a suggestion as to the spirit with which they should go about their un- dertaking. The light vote in the cleo tior for the Convention and the small majority calling it, as comparei with the usual State majorities. may ros- sibly have had depressing e1ect on some members of the Convention. It is possible that this depression ma exercise too strong an influence or it's deliberations.
 It is no uncommon thing tn hear member say, "Yes, that woull be wise provision to put in the Noassi'u- tion, but I am afraid t would lcse many votes for the instrum mt at u c polls. The people would not favor 1t.
 Now all will agree that the Convcn- ton should be conservative in it's ac- tio,., The new Constitution is to be submitted to the people for ratiicat:on, and 1t would be foolish to put anything extremely radical or chimerical m it, because that would be courting defeat by a sensible electorate. But, oh tie other hand, 1t will be equally unwise to construct a new Constitution in ab- ject fear of the people. If this or that wise provision is to be thrust aside be- cause it might invite the opposition of some people here or there, the uhalc"S are that very little of necessary ln- noyation will get in. Che ncN instru- ment would be little, if any, better than the old. It might be so unattrac-ive, so weak, that it would suit very few, would be turned on and crushed by large majority.
 It seems to us that the better spirit in which to approach the task would be the very antipode of fear of the people. The heartiest, most complete confidence should be felt in them, and exercised towards them. They car be trusted. and should be truscc l, 10 en- dorse and sustain the Convention in it's work. The people have selected these delegates because of their fitness for the work. and have virtually sad to them: Get together; deliberate and counsel, one with another; devise A new, broad. up-to-date Consrltution in the light of your clearest brain and best conscience. Study the thing cut, fix 1t right, and submi. i; to us. We believe in you. we trust your abt Ity and devotion, and We wlll stand ty you"
 Unquestionably it is he duty of the Convention to discharge it's gask in he very best way it knows. It should devise the most perfect r0nstitution it is capable of. It should not suf1 CT itself to be hampered by fea.' of any sort It should give free rein 10 it's intelligence and conscience. It should build for the future as we'll as the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09

present. It can frame an organic law under which Alabama can prosper and develop as never before. under which all Alabamians can live m harm, ny and work together for the constr,!c- tio.. of the real Empire State If the Dnion.
 We believe that there will 5e little trouble to secure the ratification of such a Constitution. The bulk of the white people will vote for it. when they see plainly how it was made ard why it was made. The reasons that will dominate the majority of the Con- venti0n in constructing and submit tlng the instrument will amply satsfy the majority of the white peobie who ycte upon 1t. And if the instrument is made in this spirit of ore ad.h. in- telligence and conscience. it's fairness will be so clear that we believe large part of the negroes will also vote for it. Their best leaders will certainly commend such a course to them. Viewed in this way. who can doubt the ratification of the new Constitu- tion?
 By all means, therefore, let all fear of the people be dismissed by the peo- ple's representatives. The people have selected the delegates as men of su- perior capacity. and they will accept the work of these delegates with the same trust, if the Convention dis tinctly exercises its delegated power to the utmost of its capacity. If the ma jority of the Convention persuades it. self that such an instrument is the best for the State. they can directly and indirectly persuade the majority of the people. On the contrary, if the delegates manifest fear of the people. it is logical and likely that the people will manifest fear of the Conventions work.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09

we should educate hin to become good citizen and an intelligent voter. And such he will surely be if we give him our encouragement and do not try to retard his progress.
 That many of the negro race are law-abiding citizens we all know. With a very few exceptions the negro has been faithf.u to the white man. A negro 1t was who firsh shed his blood in freedoms cause fn '76. This negro. who was shot down in the streets of Boston. first showed his loyalty to the white man. and to the Stars and Stripes. Agaia he showed it at the battle of New Orleans, and, men of the South. vixen you were bravely fighting for your ,acred rights. fighting, also, to keep the negro in bondage. who was it that protected and supported your wives and children you had left be- hind?
 If we want still ano,her proof of his loyalty. ask our own Fighting Joe" Wheeler how he behaved down in Cuba during the late war. How nobly he offered his services in a climate unsuit- ed to white men! How bravely he charged Fl Caney and San Juan hills, fighting all the time for a down-trod- den people
 Does not a man who has done this deserve our praise as well as our en- enlargement? Should we not teach him to handle the ballot and give him the same rights enjoyed by every other tax-paying citizen?
 Besides his hf1lness. has he not cast his lot with the white man, for better or for worse, for all time? Has he not plowed our fields, worked our plantations, made our cotton industry what 1t is. but our houses and schools. our factories. our railroads, and nursed our children with hardly ever a breach of the trust placed in him? Do we not owe him quite as much as he owes us? I think we do.
 At any rate, it Is the duty of every Southafn man who has any amount of spinal column in his back to zee that the negro is treated fairly, that every ruly applying to him should apply with equal severity to the white man.
 For, until we have fair voting laws we cannot have fair elections, and until the South does away with rotten elections and lynchings she cannot hupe successfully to oompete with other sections of the country.
 Lionel Haas (of Montgomery)
 New York. June 6.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE
 EXECUTIvE DEpARTMENT.

The Constitutional Convention will take up the Article on the Executive Department on Tuesday.
 The amendments reported by the Committee add only one new official- the Lieutenant Governor. There Is very general desire for such an officer. The ofice of Commissioner of Agricui- ture already exists by statute. He is made a constitutional officer, and in recognition of the fact that Alabama is no longer a purely agricultural State. but has other vast interests which should be fostered. the name has been changed to that of Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.
 The other changes are all on the line of bettering existing provisions. or add ing new provisions shown necessary by experience. Giving the Legislature au- thority to amend A bill to conform to the Governors objections, instead as now compelling the loss of the bill, un less the vote is over-ridden, will great ly aid in getting good legislation. The ten days given the Governor after final adjournment. in which to approve bills. instead, as now, of compelling him. on the last day of the session. to approve a multitude which he has not time to consider. will relieve the Governor of many of the burdens of this delicate and onerous duty. At the same time this great power should be exercised on the final responsibility of the Governor, and the Chief Magistrate should have power, if his conscience requires 1t, to disregard the advice of the Board. The Committee, seerns to have reached the best plan.
 The Board of Consolidation another wise amendment. 1t will tend to pre- vent strikes. It will be gratifying to a number of voters. as an express re- nifty and importance of labor. The provisions of the proposed amendment are well guarded. and so framed that no just man will ever be afraid to re- sort to the Board.
 If the money of the State is ever to go out of the vaults of the State, the proposition to earn something for the people upon idle money in the Treas ury, is as good as can be devised. Loans on State or United States bonds. to the highest bidder, after public mo- tice, are as safe as it is possible to make any loan, and can not be pro- ductive of favoritism or political cor ruption, which frequently occur when money is loaned under the name of deposits to banks, who pay no interest for the State money. and loan 1t out at interest to the people. If the money Is to leave the Treasury at all, let the public get the benefit of the interest as well as the increased circulation, when money locked up in idleness is turned into channels of trade.
 The provision making Sheriff liable to impeachment before the Supreme Court wheE a prisoner is taken from his custody and put to death, owing to the cowardice or connivance of the Sheriff, and authorizing his suspension until the court acts. will be we'll re- ceived, and is a response to public sentiment.
 On the whole. the Committee seems to have done its work carefully and thoroughly.