The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-24
Coming Back to Dixie.

Reliable railway authorities along
the border report that there is very
pronounced increase of negro travel
from the north to the south.
This is a fact that, according to
common understanding OF conditions
north and south, ought to be other
wise. In the north the negro has so
many friends whose chief business is
to inform him how badly he is treat
ed in the south; who are so eager to
make him feel that he is the equal
of themselves, their sons and daugh-
ters: and who feel so hOnored when
he condescends to eat and drink
with them, that it becomes interesting
even If not important to know why
the negro is emigrating from such
Canaan-like conditions.
AS a carload of these negroes land
ed here in Georgia a few days ago,
mailing from Illinois. our natural i'm
pulse is to ask the esteemed Chicago
Tribune to betray to us the genesis
of this exodus from its state? There
are not many states in the union
where the governor would set a state
dinner for negro militia officers, as
Governor Yates did not many weeks
ago. OF course he knew for he is
no yellowhammer politician. that this
negro dining in the Illinois governor
mansion would be immensely popular,
or he would not have followed the wal
nuts and the wine Of the feast by an
nouncing his candidacy for reelection
to the governorship. Now, as ne
groes cannot hope to ever take pot
luck in the state mansion i'll Georgia,
We wonder why these negroes left H.
linois and came back to southern
state where the negro knows his
place. Perhaps The Tribune can
give us the correct explanation.
Another instance was the return of
several families OF colored people to
North Carolina. after ten years resi-
dence in Boston. They explained that
they had only gone to Boston to get
free education for their children for
nine months In the year, instead of
the three months available to them
in North Carolina. AS one Of the
negro men naively expressed it:
"We've lest bin foragin' on dem yam
KEGS fer de schoolin' O. ouah chill
dern." But that does not sound
plausible enough to adequately justi-
fy their final abandonment of Bostcn's
ineffable love for Gods queerest crea-
tion-a black man who is the equal,
and in Boston the unqualified supe-
riOr. Of a white man. Taking the
Boston viewpoint, we are really puz-
zled to know why God made any
white men at all, and especially the
kind that make Boston a negro
coddling ground. But The Boston
Herald keeps a man who can always
easily explain such riddles and we
respectfully apply to him to tell why
any negro should prefer North Car
DINA to Beacon Hill baked beans and
Commonwealth avenue boudolrs?
The magma charta of human rights
begins with the right to life and life
is ensued by the arts OF bread WIN
ming. In the north the negro tlndS
fewer chances for breadwinning than
in the south. The negro in Boston is
confined to a few mental employments
and barred by custom and trades un-
ions from scores of skilled and we'll
paid employments that he can
and profitably follow in the south.
Still we should think the average ne
gro would prefer to do mental labors
in the north for the sake of mouth
work of love done over him by poll
ticians. polyangular old bluestocking
girls and pulpiteers who know only
the gospel Of injustice OF the south.