The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-06-04
The Negro in Philadelphia.

An interesting address was recently deiv-
cred in the Academy of Music, in Phlladel-
phia, on the negro question. A stalwart Re
publican told the large audience present that
one sixth of the negroes of that city ''could
not read nor write and all were without in.
dustrial training" The subject was discussed
along interesting lines. 1t was urged that
couture" be introduced among the Ignorant
blacks so that they could more readily asslml-
late with the whites. 1t was shown that this
condition of affairs was largely brought about
by the fact that there is at present vast IN
f1ux CT negroes from Southern States, who
come North because of the fact that their fran
chise has been restricted. In discussing this
interesting question from local standpoint,
the Philadelphia Record says:
''But there is one respect in which the i'm
migrant negroes are assimialed with the
white population with wonderful facility.
They, along with the native blacks, constitute
a very considerable element ofthe power which
enables a corrupt Machine to misrule and des.
poll Philadelphia. In some of the wards of
the city they are fast becoming predominant
political agency so far as the returns of the
ballot box are concerned. By voting early
and often the large negro population, native
and immigrant, goes to swell the enormous
majority for bad government
''Nothing is to be gained by blinking at this
matter. The negro problem in It's local as
poets is not to be solved by administering
''soft soap TO the blacks of native birth in
praising their superior cultivation, industry
and love of order at the expense of the immi-
grants from the South. Many Of the ''edu-
Gated negroes of Philadelphia are even more
serviceabe tools of Machine msrule than are
the ignorant immigrants. They are the active
agents in padding the registration lists IN Ger.
tain wards and in training repesters who with
out their solicitation and example would not
think of such thing.
"Nor will the Berean School, worthy en-
dowment as it is, accomplish much toward
making educated citizens fit for their political
duties without the moral training that will
strengthen them for resistance to the contain
mating political influences 10 which they are
subject 10 Philadelphia. While the negroes
are fattered with the progress they are making
in culture they are taught that ii Is plous
obligation to vote for anything that bears the
name of Republican, no matter how corrupt
its source and purposes. This Is what has
bound the educated as well as the ignorant of
them so easily to the Machine. Their white
tutors in the newspapers anu on the stump
have persuaded them that politics does not IN
volve issues of finance, the tariff and other mat
tiers of government, but question Of race IN
which the Republicans are their patrons, pro.
tectors and allies. In order 10 stimulate their
prejudices they are taught also by their allies
that the white people Of The South are actu-
ated solely by race haired in establishing an
educational test for the exercise Of the cleo
toral franchise.
al the same time the rumors are spread
far and wide through the cotton. sugar, rice
and tobacco plantations Of the South that ln
escaping from political prosecutions As well as
from the necessity 20 labor for a living they
will fud the black man earthly paradise 10 a
city of the North named Philadelphia. These
rumors are what largely account for the rapid
increase Of negro immigration from the south
that has now attained the rate OF l.00oa year.
While, as We are Informed by the authority
cited IN this article, the white population OF
this city increases Cue-tourlh every decade,
the increase Of the black population grows ~
the same period one third iasier than he white.
Al this rate It Is for the social siaijsilcisn tn
estimate hoS long IL vail take Tor the blacks 10
overiake the white population OF PbIiadri-
phia.