The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-11
HAPPY SOUTHERN NEGRO.
How He Appeared to the Congress
sionaI Investigating Party.

Minneapolis Journal
CONGRESSMAN Thompson, OF Alabama,
succeeded in convincing Congressman Lit
tlefield, Of Maine, and other Northern
statesmen a few days ago that the South
ern negro is not an unhappy man without
a country" and the poor. prosecuted crea-
ture. a mere sad-eyed helot of hard task
masters. He took his friends into the black
belt OF Alabama, where the negro may be
seen in his native element, so TO speak, and
the northern men were compelled 10 admit
that they had INDUCED in some misconcep-
ton of the true situation.
They found the negroes happy and con-
tented and were convinced of their intelH-
gence and aptness and desire 70 learn by
looking in upon Booker Washington's Won
derful educational establishment at Tuske-
gee, which is preparing hundreds of negroes
of both sexes for intelligent and achieving
life in the great business and industrial
world.
Mr.. Littlefeld declared that Booker
Washington and other educators of the
Southern negroes are holding and using
the master-key which is solving what is
called the negro problem. Any one VS.
iting the Southern States will readily dis
cover why it is that all the schemes for
deporting the negro of the South to Africa
or to Mexico or South America, or TO our
Western and Southwestern Territories have
failed and will fail. Great inducements fail
signally TO attract any considerable number
of Southern negroes from the South to
other regions. The reason is that the ne
gro is born and bred in the South and
likes it. and has. in spite of the political
limitations imposed upon him by Southern
legislators, no desire TO be eXpatriated.
The negro is there and he will stay there.
The broader the provision for his educa-
tional progress the sooner will he fall into
his natural sphere as a valuable, intelligent
American citizen. Every school added to
the many now in operation for his advan-
tage is preparing each year a larger num-
Der who can read. write and meet the ex-
acting requirements which
Legislatures impose upon the negro and do
not impose upon the white voter, however
ignorant. The number of negro capitalists
in the South is increasing rapidly. There
are negroes who can easily refer to their
wealth in six figures. If the unthrifty ele-
ment is large, is is certainly becoming
smaller year after year
The problem of bringing about amicable
and peaceful relations between whites and
blacks in the South is not a problem to the
white element represented BY Senator Till
is TO kill the negroes off There are other
who are working successfully TO minimize
the racial antagOnism. and who believe
that both races can live in harmony in its
own sphere of action. The greatest mis-
take the distinguished philosopher, Herbert
Spencer, has made is his steady opposition
to the education of the masses, on the
ground that education spols them and de-
moralizes them. He would oppose the edu-
cation Of the Southern negroes. In twenty
years from now there will be a very pro-
nounced refutaton of his theory in the
may have an extension of his life to wit