Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-09
TALKS TO Ne OR OES
JOHN r. LACEY DELIVERED AID.
DRESS AT BUXTON sATUR.
DAY AFTERNOON.
Sixth District congressman Reviews
Progress Of colored Race During
Past century-colored Population
..About Double What 1t Was in 1861.

#sssNSSeS SSd0tS NvttdS is as III FOWL
Buxton. Aug. 8. Especially - Hon.
John F. Lacey, speaking here Satur-
day afternoon before large audience
of colored people reviewed the pro-
gress of the negro race during the past
century. In the course of his remarks
he said:
I'm reviewing century of the pro-
Eress Of the negro, race in the United
States there is certainly much of en-
II do not wish to weary you with dry
facts and figures. but there are few
salient points that think it would be
opportune to consider.
Zone hundred years ago the slave
trade was still in operation and the
constitution of the United States pro-
tected 1t until the year 1903 and for
babe congress to enact any law pro-
hibiting this nefarlous traffic.
"The government has recently pub
lished the results of the last census as
far as they bear upon the conditions
of the colored race and believe you
will feel interested in the same.
"In the census of 1890 there were
whole United States The increase of
the colored population as compared
with the whites in twenty year periods
has since then been as follows:
from 1900 to 1920 the percentage
Of increase of the negroes was 76 $40
and of the whites 80 7-10.
From 1920 to 1910 the percentage
of the negro increase was 62 2-10, and
of the whites 80 $40.
'The next twenty years to 1860
showed negro increase of 81 Clio, and
white increase Of SO 7-10.
I'm 1880 the next twenty years
showed negro increase of 4S 2-10,
and white increase of 81 2-10.
"The last census shows that in the
twenty years ending in 1900 the ne
gro 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,S30;
and in 1900 it was S,S33,999.
"In 1900 the center of the negro pop
ulation was in DeKalb county in North
eastern Alabama. In 1890 it was in
Virginia.
1.-THE percentage of the increase has
not kept pace with that of the white
race-because there has been heavy
white immigration.
There has been one peculiar diff.
ference in the population, and that
lis the proportion between the two
sexes. In 1900 out of every 1000 white
people 512 were males and 48S females,
making "a males to the 1000 in excess
|of the females. In the same census
there were 497 colored males and 5O3
females to the 1,OO0 making the six
females to the 1000 in excess of the
males.
81 am not attempting to account for
this, but only giving you fact which
is certainly an interesting one.
"The vital statistics are remarkable.
In 1900 out of every 1000 persons of
color 80 2-10 died. Whilst in the white
race the death rate for each 1000 was
II $40.
"On the question Of illiteracy much
progress has been made, but there is
still vast room for improvement. In
LOW luClC WClS llSSIU SCUOUlS III
the south, and strict laws were in force
forbidding the teaching of letters to
the negro race. To point to the Hitter.
acy of race as discreditable under
these circumstances is to criticise Sc.
verely the white masters who destroy
ed all germs Of education for two hun,
dred years.
."Of the negroes over 10 years of age
in 1900 "A $40 per cent could not read
and write; whilst of the whites of that
age 6 2-10 were illiterate.
"In material wealth it is gratifying
| to mark the accumulation and progress
made in the basic foundation of all
wealth, agriculture.
In 1899 the farms operated by ne
groes and the stock and improvements
on the same amounted to $499, 941 ,234
almost exactly half billion. The pro
duct of the same farms for that veal
amounted to s255, 750,435. This is Ger
tainly good showing for people
who only forty years ago were com
PEELED to secure their personal freedom
/ by purchase or by emigration in the
under ground railroad Whilst these
figures from the National census O.
1900 are full of encouragement ye1
they point out the direction in which
Improvement should come
ut is money saved which counts fol
the future. If the farm products O
the negro in one year are 1925, 900,
900. the saving and investment of {
good part of the production gives then
best hope for the future.
"In no individual centre is the ne,
capita of earning of the negro race
greater than in the town of Buxton
With steady employment at goot
wages the opportunity for laying asid,
something for the inevitable rainy da,
should be considered by every mtnel
in this camp.
"The census of 1900 shows that q
] the SS33,e99 colored peonla q, ~,