The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-28
THE NEGRO
DOING WELL
Report Of Congressman Who
Made an Inspection Trip
in Alabama.
MIR. Littlefield of Maine May
Make a Statement to
the House.

AAW YORK. Sum 3DeEka5 8SrNl0a
Chicago. May 28.--The Chronicles
washington correspondent says: The
members Of the house who went to Tuske-
gee, Ala, to investigate the condition OF
the negroes in the south returned with
the astonishing statement that the ne
groes in the south are better off than
white workers in the north.
The congressman took the trip as
guests Of Representative Charles Winston
Thompson of the Fifth Alabama district
and returned to Washington yesterday.
They were given unlimited facilities for
ments of the negro.
Mr.. Thompson conceived the idea of
taking a party. Of northern republicans
into the heart Of Alabama, where the
negro population outnumbers the whites
two to one for the purpose OF enabling
them to study the negro problem at close
range. He invited most of the republ1-
can leaders Of the house, including Speak
er Henderson, President pro tenn Frye OF
the senate and several members of Presi-
dent Roosevelt's cabinet. ~
Secretary Shaw Went, Too.
Secretary Shaw of the treasury depart
ment was the sole representative of the
cabinet who accompanied Mr.. Thompson's
party. Speaker Henderson could not go
because Of the pressure of the public bus
mess. Senator Frye preferred to- go fish,
ing in the northern wilderness OF his
own state. Representative Littlefield &C
companied Mr.. Thompson in behalf Of the
Maine delegation.
The party included, besides Mr.. Little
field, General Dick of Ohio, Representa-
tives Dahle and Barey of Wisconsin, Eddy
of Minnesota, Mccall and Lowering of
Massachusetts, Darragh of Michigan, and
many others equally we'll known.
They came back to Washington after
having seen the negro under, many Diff
ferent conditions, with greatly altered
legislation in his behalf. They saw the
negro on numerous plantations, in the
towns and villages and in the great man
ufacturing city Of Birmingham, where the
| principals plant Of the Tennessee Coal &
Iron company is located.
Mr.. Darragh af1rms that the negro
| iaborers of this corporation are better
housed and better cared for than the
white laborers Of the coal regions OF
| Pennsylvania. They visited the Booker
| Washington institute at Tuskegee, where
| they saw several hundred young negroes
| of both sexes: being prepared to go out
among their race to educate them in use
full trades. s.~:er
| Race Problem Being Solved.
Representative Littleield delivered a
speech at Tuskegee which was revela-
tion to his southern auditors as we'll as
to his colleagues. He practically said
that from what he had seen from the con,
| ditions surrounding the negro he believed
that the people of the south were solving
the race problem in a way that is bound
to be satisfactory not only to the negro,
but to the country at large.
One western representative, who re-
quested that his name be withheld, said
| yesterday:
The Negro Is Getting His Share.
1--WE took the fullest advantage OF the
opportunity offered US by our southern
friends for complete and searching in
vestigation. we talked with all kinds and I'd
all classes of people, We talked with
merchants, with manufacturers, with
plantation negroes, with negro laborers,
with; negro merchants and negro pro-
fessiona1 men. We heard but one story
from these and that was that they were
satisfied.
eve talked with white republicans and
white democrats. They told us with abb
solute unanimity that the only persons
who are objecting to existing conditions
in the south are the politicians. AS
nearly as we can understand: 1t, these fell
lows are making a living by Keeping up
the agitation.
1.-THE negro is not badly treated. He Is
entirely satisfied with his lot. am at
liberty to say that the gentlemen who ac-
companied> Mr.. Thompson to Alabama
have returned to washington with new
and unexpected ideas about the south
ern race problem. They are convinced
as an original proposition that the south
| is solving that problem .
1--WE did not hear a word OF complaint
! from anybody or from any source and I
am sure we interviewed a thousand per-
sons, black and white. hTe south Is pros
porous, there is an abundance OF work,
money Is plentiful The negro is getting
his share: don't think there is a hap