The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-01-17
!: Al |! |! ] ]!
TOs STAYsSOUTH

!|s Y / SS "! SUU III. L
Son Of Late Senator Bruce Says They
Have setter Prospects There. n
BIRMINGHAM Ala X Jan. Il .-7-
conkling Bruce, son Of the late Uni.
ted States Senator Blanche K. Bruce,
the most noted negro statesman this
country ever produced, warns negroes
never TO leave the South. Bruce lis
the head of the academic department
Of Booker Washington's school \ at
rhskegee. x tii; M II. sii
Compel tlonyS Of white labor, said
:Alr, Bruce, lis felt with increasing
seyerltySbyE the negro race. y +
Tifis}Scompetitio he said, 8ex;
llIibi!s Its most conspicuous effects
In cities, Even in citiesS Of lie lover
south BLACK artisans find yit.more and
more dificlltito obtainsregular5 worKi
at regular wages. Negro contractors
Of large experience find themselves
gradually shifted 10 trlt'Ing Jobs and
young menEof 5anduestionabe yeapac:
!,Y,for5 the higher grades Of industry
.bl.eatake themselves 80 domestic and
personal service and to asualllabor.
lAll 8this hints darklyso Of What may
e6hlc in the near future fwhat has
actually come In the North. 4; 4
Our urban masses are each year
increasing in bulk and significance.
| ask you soberly. 10; consider some
Ro Dtf me problems of3the urban negro.
l|sAiy experience may beunuspal, but5it
E |g99llls me me thatfmen are feadierItoEap.
plsaarlllll 3s,!IsairS@ords than plain3sfac
| That tthey5$ar keen after&truth8 only
when VI e 4 that proud mistress, smiles:
eNly s,!i into the urban negro will
z mi win your applause, because tits
g pain, rnyarnlshed tale. III you will
lis. listen ! promise matter for reflection.
ASt the outset ! promise Ban antidote
10 those among YOU 4 whose Srccogni.
ton Of increasing severity sof indus.
trial competition here in the South.
land whispers the plauslbility Of leav.
Ing the South for3the North, SBirmlng.
ham for Philadelphia. at the most
! hope Ito arouse You all to The vital
Importance Of doing something 10
make impossible here in the South
The really terrible conditions that as.
sail our brethren in the North, "
Mr. Bruce; then made a comparison
between the negro population Of st.
Louis and Philadelphia. In Philatlel,
lphla twas, in 1890, 4 per cent; ii
ST Louis, 9 per cent In both cities;
The characteristic Of the negro popu.
lation was poverty. In one ward in
PHILADELPHIA the negroes contributed
q. per cent. Of the population, but
owned pI','l onlyjll.2jper cent. Of the prop.
cry. n. 1, f.;;s r
The occupations in which negroes
were engaged In these cities we're sig.
Eiiicant The mass were employed
IN mental work. "The men are are hod.
curriers', day laborers on the streets
and at the leyee, draymen, Steamsters;.
porters. janitors, elevator boys and
domestic servants The women were re
chiefly lanndressesi and house ser.
wants: Ninetyifye per cent. of the
parents Of negroes In the city Of ST.
Louis in 1880 were engaged in per- II.
ss9nal service and unskilled labor. In
both cities the negroes live in the.
worst houses and the most3undesira.
Bile sections. n 3li5 SIC 4 n
Excessive crime characterizcs the
negro in all urban centers: Of The
North, said lthe!speaker. In st Louis,
though forming only 6 per cent. Of
tho population, the negroes contribl:l
aed q per cent. 10 the arrests In 1898.
"a PHILADELPHIA, though forming only
= per cent. Of the population, they,,
contributed i221,2 per cent. 70 the ar ar.
rests in 1905. ss
The death rate Is also excessive.
IN st. Louis; in 1890 the death rate
among negroes was 5l:22 per thou.
sand and among whites 1CO. i:
e'yrlie caises Of the negroe.s exees.
siye erimlnallty are three, said Mr..
bruce: First Intellectual ignorance:
second, imperfect moral Development
third, poverty. d al
Why not let the Marion Claim