The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-07
May SEND THE NEGROES
TO SOUDAN COTTON FIELDS
"a Wealthy American Has Scheme On Foot Which He
Claims Is a Practical Solution Of the Race
Problem for This Country.

for In Africa, by an increase OF the
Egyptian crop and the development of
the industry In the soudan. The wonder
full system OF water storage and irriga-t
tion recently established on the Nile. unr5
der. British auspices, has greatly In
creased the acreage OF cotton cultivation
James Boyle, United States consul at;
Liverpool, In aErecent report to the De-
partment OF Commerce and Labor, notes
The claim that there are millions OF
acres OF cotton growing. land In the Sou
dan, and that when the projected rail
ways are completed q very large area
Will at once be put under cultivation.
Tho qualities which can be grown are
similar to Egyptian and even OF a. bet
ter fibre, 1t is claimed. He says that
"a fair quantity Of cotton from the Sou
dan is expected at Liverpool and Man
chester this season.. The first consign-
ment OF Soudanese cotton recently ar
rived at Cairo from Khartoun and was de-
c!ared to be superior in mercerizing
qualities and in strength to the best
Egyptian
The Soudan, unlike Egypt, is actually
British territory and much Of the land
Is subject to disposal by the British gov
e.nment. SO that here the most rapid
development may be expected. The first
taken by the construction Of a railway
from Suakin. a port on the Red Sea, to
Berber, on the Nile a distance OF about
800 miles. The Red Sea Is one OF the.
great highways OF the world and once
on Its shores any staple Of commerce Is
within reach Of market.
The prospects for the development OF
the Soudan have a special interest in the
United States, aside from the Importance
.v,,, n oi m
tor Of ours. because tho most extensive
and systematic plans for exploiting that
region have originated ith4End are d.
rected by an American capitalist.
AUTHOR OF THE SCHEME.
Mr.. Leigh Hunt. formerly president Of
the Iowa Agricultural College. a man Of
| large means, known on the Pacific coast
OF the United States as the owner OF the
Seattle Post Intelligencer. and In recent
years at the head OF extensive enter.
prises in Asia, spent the winter OF 1902
O3 In Egypt for the purpose OF recovering
! his health, but like the wide.awalse and
enterprising American everywhere, he be-
came Interested inatfe resources and in
| dustrles of the country and particular
| ly In the gigantic enterprise which the
British government has had under way
| for increasing the productiveness Of the
!.Valley OF tHe MIS-, W. WIZ Wv % ..''t
| at 5Assuan and the railway from the Red
Sea to the Nile. Mr.. Hunt was greatly
impressed by the possibilities Of the Up
| per Nile Valley and Its ready accessibility
| when the railway was completed. Be-
| fore lie left Egypt his plans We're deter
mined upon and during the past year he
! has been energetlcally arranging the de-
tails. lie has had ready encoura cement
| from the British government and Will
| - 1p.,r Io1tt 4Cf md n
sal when ready for his operations, M
Mr.. Hunts plans have no speculative
features. The money Is all provided to
| open and conduct actual farming opera
! lions In the Soudnn upon whatever scale
| shall at first be found to be feasible and
to extend them as fast as a suitable pop
lulntlon can be obtained to do the work
Of tillage. q,
Thorough scientific test OF the soil has
been made by soil experts and experts In
1.-The culture OF cotton and other staples TO
| which the soil Is adapted ARE to be put
| In general charge of the work OF cultlya-
| ton. Everything that capital and good
| management can provide to promote the
success OF the enterprise will DO at Its
| command, Mr. Hunt recognizes, however,
that the big problem he has to solve Is
that OF colonizng the country, O teach
\ Ing and Inducing the scattered tribes to
settle down to systematic Industry lie
has an interesting plan for obtaining col-
onists from the United StatesS which has
already been the subject Of newspaper
comment, but which, owing to Its prema-
tura ana unauthorized publication, has
been grossly misrcpresented, His Idea
is that the best possible population for
the soudan would be the thrifty class OF
negro farmers from the Southern States
| of this country. who are familiar with the
culture OF cotton, sugar-cane, and other
products for which the soil and climate
Of that region are adapted. When In the
United States few months ago he met
Booker ~. washington for the purpose
OF enllsting his assistance IN procuring
emigrants Of this class Some indefinite
Information about his plans reached the