New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-17
PROGRESS OF NEGRO PEAsANTRY.
What Is Shown by Observation in the
Alabama Black Belt.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Not long ago I had the pleasant duty OF
driving y. T. Bacon about Macon County Mr..
Bacon Is the author OF a series OF articles in The
Yale Review" the present condition Of Russia.
Though specially interested IN the Industrial and
financial status OF Russia. Mr. Bacon makes some
Observable the social condition OF tho Russian
peasant Before coming 10 Tuskegee he had been
pains 10 ascertain bv horseback inspection
the status OF the p-asantry IN another county
OF the Alabama Black Belt. II be remeu-
bered that he Is trained observer: indeed I may
without inaccDracy that his business is that
Of observing and hence he observes with a caution
cIoseness business. that are beyond the powers
OF the ordinary
THE negro has ono dirlcuitv" says Mr. Bacon
in his latest article from which the ex-sert IS
free. There Is difference In between peas
ant and noble. that the peasant has social
obstacle TO rise to tho highest position
IN State IL ho has the ability and energy while
the fantest trace Of negro blood condemns the In
dividual In country social ostracism. But
even this seems be turning the negro's ad-
vantage. Its first effect to drive the negroes
together for mutual support Whereas. the
close of the they fairly well distributed
the richer parts OF the South, they have
dritted together SO that many counties show now
over 50 per cent of the population coiored. They
have been most degraded where the whites were
fswest the remnant being mainly Jewish merchants
who exploiting the negroes most usurousy. as
tho Jewish niddsUarn have done with the peasants
Of Russia. But three features have lately de-
veioped which cooperate TO improve the situation
First. improved demand for labor has ed the
planters TO improve the quarters so that
the scandal OF the room cabin for whole
family is slowly passing away Second. the
concentration has made the negroes easier to reach,
and the industrial missions are beginning
exert an influence all the more powerful because
nominally they do not aim at the negro's morals
religion. but only to improve his tempered
These Institutions are making the negro's path
easier in enough neghbOrhOods to affect the general
average sensbly. The region around Tuskegee Is
notably less degraded than similar districts nifty
miles away. Its radius is plain TOT at least
miles The number OF room cabins for that
distance is very small. and many farmers have
patent seeders and other simple machinerT and
scarcely white farmer in this district
This relatively prosperous condition o. the negro
peasantry in the neighborhood OF Tuskegee insti-
tute is unrrstakabie. and is again and again re-
coInparison The school raises the level OF life in
this community not 9nIT oS 'nG ven aa.a xnown WI
also indirectly by enrolling young men and women
Jus, q few evenings ago 1 happened to be driving
through neghboring plantation. when 10 my de-
light. / heard in old unreconstructed cabin some
little children singing which they had learned
al the gracious kinderxarten "Ovah Thar 70 de
No-ou,al": and with the little songs those children
took home I'm sure. something OF the sweet spirit
Thirteen annual farrners' conferences have been
held at TusksEee and at the twelfth some s5sflsa
attending that session was in the neighbor-
bic 10 O. register s Of whom se were woman The
purpose of the conference is OF course TO come at
the hends OF family: the conference Is means OF
utilizing the insight OF the shrewdest OF these older
and women for the benefit OF all, and OF i'm
pressing the stupid and the shrewd alike with
modern ideas upon farming and wholesome views OF
life and living. Fifty-nne cent OF the persons
registered male heads OF family. and e3S
between twenty and forfy-ntne years of age. in
elusive. Some - per of the SOB persons
born in Alabama and GEORGIA. and to-day . Per
of them live In Alabama. Almost every county
In Alabama represented.
The statistics OF con1uEai condition show rather
plainly that the in this Rroup OF persons marry
relatively late: that II 10 say. comparison with
certain other groups OF heroes shows this. Sandy
Spring Nd. and Farmville Va have been studied
intensveiy by experts working under the United