The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-28

Pastor of Trinity Church Delivered Strong Address
to Negroes at Big Educational Mass Meeting

realization Of such a scheme and sun az
| vocate it as n practical solution or the
| so-called race problem. is more than 1
| can understand 1t Is a solution that
works we'll on paper but practically VIII
| not work at all. If the premises are
| granted 1t Is beautiful, logical theory,
| but the common sense of the people OF
! this country repudiates the premises as
wild anG absurd l believe that nine
| tenths Of the sober, intelligent, honest
| and fatr-minded men of the south agree
| with the statement of Mr.. Archibald R..
! Colouhoun the great English traveller,
| explorer and secretary Of the English
! government missions to Siam and the
Siamese Shan states and author of China
in Transformation The Renaissance Of
South Africa, etc, when he says, 'sone
people have dreamed Of transplanting the
entire race and, although this idea may
be absurd. 1t still seems to be cherished
by serious people. The experiment IN
Liberia and another moro recently III
Mexico have resulted in failure. Africa,
practically partitoncd among European
powers, is no longer available as dump
ing ground even were the negroes will
ing to return there. A suggestion so wild
as to be fantastic which yet seems to have
been seriously received In this country
Is the transportation of negroes to the
Philippines That such an idea Should
nave oDtdlneu II nearing Qt1lltnSlldttS l1c
lamentabe state of ignorance both as re
CARDS the negroes and the Filipinos.
These fantastic schemes may at once be
dismissed, for no one, with the most ele-
mcntary knowledge of the subject, can
doubt that for good or evil, tho negro
has become an integral part Of United
States society and that the problem Is
one that cannot be got rid of by any
such drastic measures.
Negro Does Not Wish to Go.
"In the first place the negroes who are
free American citizens do not wish to be
deportcd or segregated. | offer in proof
of this statement the following facts.
Three or four years ago there were agents
operating in Georgia seeking to Sc
cure negro families for work in distant
states and, Notwithstanding the elastic
consciences and over-deyeloped wonder
faculties Of these agents. Notwithstanding
the promises of rich reward for easy
work, Notwithstanding glowing descrip-
lions Of a climate adapted In every way
to the peculiar needs of the negro, there
were only a few hundred negroes wEo
We're dupeo sufficiently to leave their
homes. A few families went away from
the town in which | was ut that time
living and | believe that three out Of
four of those that went frcm my town
ana immediate neighborhood. negroes
with whom l was personally acquainted
and whom | regarded as my friends, have
come back. The pitiful stories that came
from these places to which the negroes
had been carried were sufficient IN most
cases, to secure from their friends at
home the needed railroad fare for their
return.
Second proof 1t has not been so long
ago that we have forgotten when one of
Your own bishops, with commanding Ing
are and sonorous voice, wrought earn
estly and eloquently. and even Vehe-
mently, to secure emigrants from the
-forsaken south Of Liberia, land
which | then heard was so fertile that
sweet potatoes grew as big and long
as an elephants snout, and that negro