The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1904-08-11
EMANCIPATION
DAY AT BUXTON.
HON. JOHN Y. LACEY IS ORATOR
OF DAY.
TELLS OF cENTURYspRoGREss
A Most Memorable celebration--A
Day Long to Be Remembered BY
All Partieipants--A Grand
Speech BY Lacey.

DRAFTED EmanclpdIlOH Lay o61hu oS
with a fitting program OF service and
enjoyment that was participated in
by all of the people. The day was
pay day for the miners and the works
were closed on account of the occa-
sion. The weather was perfect and
the whole people entered into the
spirit of the occasion in manner
that will make the celebration mem
orable among any other similar affairs
that may fall to the share of the town.
The management and the several
committees have every reason for
self-satisfaction in the success at
tanned through their efforts. The en-
tire affair was pleasant, orderly and
well conducted throughout.
A large crowd gathered in the af-
ternoon to give ear to the several
numbers of stated program. Con-
gresham John F. Lacey, of Oska-
loosa, Nate Kendall, of Abba, and E.
B. Carter, of this place, were the
speakers of the day. The talks given
were pointed, entertaining and in
structive. Major Lacey especially
brought out some facts and figures
for the consideration of the colored
man that are worth thinking about.
The gentleman's talk was of a stats.
teal nature, showing the progress OF
the negro race in the United States
during the past hundred years. Now
figures and plain, ungarnished state
ments are hard to listen to, but Major
Lacey was very closely followed and
his talk was taken home by many a
listener The genial Major got the
attention Of his audience by a happy
little by-play upon the day and the oc-
casion. Emancipation Day proper
comes upon the 22d day of August.
The colored people of Buxton, re-
marked Mr.. Lacey, had most appro-
priately chosen to celebrate the occa-
sion upon pay day, a day made posi-
BILE by the emanS ipation. Had there
been no emancipation, there would
have been no pay day. The big crowd
got the point and the Major had their
closest attention from that moment
ltefSyacts from the Majors talk ne q:
! SiEs51;fF0wsi.. ~. ~, $780,,
I'm reviewing century of the pro
gress of the negro race in the United
States there is certainly much of en-
enlargement in the census returns.
do not wish to worry you with dry
facts and figures, but there are few
salient points that think it you'd be
| oppertune to consider. -
One hundred years ago the slave
trade was still in operation and the
constitution of the United States pro.
tected it until the year of 1908 and
| forbade congress to enact any law
prohibiting this nefarious traffic.
The government has recently pub.
lished the results of the last census
as far as they bear upon the condition
of the colored race and / believe you
will feel interested in the same.
In the census of 1890 there were
only 757,20S Of the negro race in the
whole United States. The increase OF
the colored population as compared
with the whites in twenty-year peri
DDS has since been as follows:
From 1900 to 1920, the percentage
of increase of the negroes was 76 $40
and of whites 50 so.
From 1920 to 1910, the percentage
of negro increase was 62 2-1o, and Of
the whites/80 SO.
The next twenty years to 1860 show
l III n iV,a ~ md :
white increase CT SO ITO.
In 1880, the next twenty years
showed a negro increase of IS 2-10
and white increase of 81 2-10
| The last census shows that in thu
twenty years ending with 1900 thu
negro population increased "a 2-10 pc
cent, and the whites SIS $40.
In 1861, when the war broke out
the colored population was 4,44t,93
and in 1900 it was S,S33,999. In 190l
the center of the negro population
was in DeKalb county in northeastern
Alabama. In 100 it was in Virgins
The percentage of the increase ha
not kept pace with that Of the whit
race because there has been lleav
white immigration.
!. There has been one peculiar differ
ence in the population, and that is tn
proportion between the two sexes. I
I, 1900, out of every 1000 white peopl
! 512 were males and 488 females, NAL
! ing "a males to the 1000 in excess {
. the females. In the same censu
> there were 497 colored males and so
e females to the 1000, making 6 I,
q males to the 1000 in excess Of tn
l. males.
am not attempting to account fc
this, but giving you a fact which
cerainly an interesting one.
The vital statistics are remarkably
I In 1900, out of every 1000 persons (
color 80 2-10 died. Whilst in tn
white race the death rate for eac
i 1000 was IL $40.
III On the question of illiteracy muc
4 progress has been made, but there
/. still vast room for Improvement. ]
, 1860 there were no negro schools
II the south, and strict laws were