The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1904-08-11

DAY At BUXTON.
sa1
HON. JOHN s LACEY IS ORATOR
or DAY.
TELLS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
--
A Most Memorable ceIebrationA
pay Long to BE Remembered By
All Partlcipants-A Grand
Speech ny Lacey.
TELLS or OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

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 viii 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
dissatisfaction 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 a stated program. Con-
gresham John r. 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 statis-
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 happy
little by-play upon the day and the oc-
casion. Emancipation Day proper
comes upon the ed 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, p day made posi-
BILE by the emanSi patton. 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.
ktef$yacts from the Majors talk Axe as
EFs'SIiFowssSi. -. ~. .s,4a--l
In reviewing a century of the pro.
gress of the negro race in the United
States there is certainly much of en-
enlargement in the census returns.
I do not wish to worry you with dry
facts and figures, but there are few
salient points that l 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 1t until the year of 1903 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 757,2OS 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 rs $40,
and Of whites so so.
From 1920 to 1910, the percentage
of negro increase was 62 2-1a, and of
the whites 80 so.
The next twenty years to 1860 show
al :, 1,nory, i,1oraoca ~ RA r IN ond !.
white increase Of SO T-10.
In 1880, the next twenty years,
showed a negro increase of As 2-10,
and white increase of GIL 2-10
The last census shows that in the
twenty years ending with 1900 the
negro population increased "a 2-10 per
cent and the whites So $40.
In 1861, when the war broke out,
the colored population was 4,441, 800,
and in 1900 1t was S,S33,999. In 1900
the center of the negro population
was in DeKalb county in northeastern
Alabama. In 100 it was in Virginia.
The percentage of the increase has
not kept pace with that of the white
race because there has been a heavy
white immigration.
There has been one peculiar differ
ence in the population, and that is the
proportion between the two. sexes. In
1900. out of every 1000 white people
512 were males and 4SS females, max
ing "a males to the 1000 in excess Of
the females. In the same census
there were 497 colored males and 503
females to the 1000, making 6 Re.
males to the 1000 in excess Of the
males.
| am not attempting to account for
this, but giving you a fact which is
cerainly an interesting one
The vital statistics are remarkable.
In 1900, out Of every 1000 persons OF
color 80 2-1O died. Whilst in the
white race the death rate for each
1000 was IL $40.
On the question Of illiteracy much
progress has been made, but there is
still vast room for Improvement. In
1860 there were no negro schools in
the south, and strict laws were in
force forbidding the teaching OF let