The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-26
CANADA'S COLONY OF NEGROES
THE RACES ABILITY TO RISE AS
TESTED AT BUXTON.
settlement Founded by Fugitive slaves
mt the Northern Terminus or the "lln-
foreground Railroad Bearing OF It's
Present state OH the Race Problem I'm
the SOnph-lt Is Fifty Years old.

1
! the South-It is Fifty Years old
BUXTON, Ontario, July 25-The presen
state of the negro colony established a
this point in Kent county in iS4D is of in
terest now on account of its bearing OF
the race problem in the South. 1t wal
settled by fugitive slaves and was the
| northern terminus of the Underground
Railroad by which runaway negroes wer,
conducted from Southern plantations tc
Canaoa.
What have these ex-slaves and thei
descendants accomplished? The colony
has passed its half century mark Two
generations have been reared on the fabric
established by the colony of freed bonds
men. What has been the result?
Composed almost wholly Of American
refugees who sought freedom In Canada
the colony has on several occasions at
tracted special attention from students
of the negro problem In the United States
This was especially the case when Presi-
dent Lincoln sent here a commission, In
1884, to investigate the progress made
with view to determining the capacity
of the negro for material advancement.
II was in ls49 that the 1000 acre tract
was set apart between Lake Erie and the
River Thames by the Canadian Govern
ment for colonizing purposes. The orig
inator of the plan was the Rev. William
King, an English Clergyman. Five years
ago, when he died, he declared that the ex-
pertinent was in every way success and
had established all thar the original pro-
motors intended.
Visitors to the colony to-day might draw
different conclusions than it's founder
Among the Zoo colored people settled
here in Kent and Essex counties there are
many conspicuous instances 81 individual
advancement, but there are no indications
of the SUCCESS Of the plan in the nature
of thriving villages or industrial commune
ties. In fact, if the experiment demon
strated one craft of the black man more
clearly than another, it is, in the opinion
of some observers, that the negro Is not
inclined to agricultural pursuits, and that,
while this adverse inclination may be over
come temporarily, he does not transmit
to his children any love for pas oral en-
ployment.
The Canadians who have come in con-
not farmers, that while they will work as
hired hands for the whites they will not
make success as owners and managers
of farms.
-They want somebody to direct TIL M"
is the way one Of the students Of the situa-
ton here expressed ii to the writer
In spite of this deduction, there are some
instances in which the descendants of
refugees have made successful husbandmen
residing here to-day upon small farms
purchased nearly half a century ago.
These instances are so few, however.
as, in the opinion of many of the whites, to
Justify the general verdict that the negro
is not farmer by instinct and cannot be
induced readily TO follow the plough from
one generation to another. II this deduc-
ton is accurate, II means much In the settle
ment of the race question In the South
The land was sold to the negroes In farms
OF from 40 to 100 acres at the nominal price
of 81 so per acre They had all the time
required for the payment
In clearing the land there was revenue
to be made from the logs. Firewood was
plentiful and the soil agriculturaly could
not he e1celled In this part of Canada.
To-day this land for farming purposes is
valued at from $50 to 800 an acre.
But most of the farms that Mr.. King
transferred to his colored wards nave
passed out of their hands. 1t is the excep-
ton now where colored men are found
owning their farms here. The majority of
them are ranters.
Crop failures are pra cticallv unknown
here. Conditions are very favora BILE for an
livelihood, not to say acqIisi-
ton Of considerable wealth, es farmer
Yet the simony Of m ny white men is
that the tendency among the negroes is
toward the urbn n life.
The negroes hive left the IA m to seek
employment as laborers on the various
railroads. In fact, the young coIorcd
men, the offspring of the original settlers.
do not remain here, but sca tier, and always
oward the city.
All the big fl rms p re owned by the whites,
all the commercial enterprises are con-
Quoted by hem and the mercantile concerns
that supply the remaining negroes are
wholly in the hands Of whites.
The children of the colOred population
(And they raise big ia mlies) attend good
country schools, churches re numerous
and every facility is afforded them for
active competition with the whites. In
spite of these conditions and the earIy
ldvantn ges under which the ex-sla YES
began life here the m jority of them with
: practice knowledge Of farming, they
We not built up a community worthy
Of the n mo.
Some Of their descendants have gone
INTO professional life in G. NJ dn, end others !
have returned to the Stptcs q doctors.
"a, n ND Ii,