Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-13
Uroino the Neoroes to MIGRATE.

| that the solution of the race problem
! is found in its migration to the North.
| This is not new ground for the Plea
| yune to take. but it declares that re-
| cent investigation and recent happen
| ings in both North and South have
port Of this appeal the Picayune quotes
extracts from various northern publ
| cations which are full Of encourage
ment to the colored man. 1t quotes the
| Boston Herald of recent date ncern-
| ing the large and most favorable con-
sideration given the Negroes in Massa-
chusetts, Negroes in that state and city
occupy the following important politi-
| cal and social positions:
A black alderman, sitting in q board
| with ten white colleagues and elected
| by voters 50 per cent Of whom are
| white.
Two negro representatives in the
| Legislature chosen by constituencies i'll
| which the colored vote is relatively
small.
Seven members Of the Common
Council of African descent.
A negro chief of a fire department, in
which he is the only man OF color.
a black policeman patrolling streets
occupied mostly by white residents, fer
nineteen year; in succession.
4 negro at the head of the City De-
partment of Bacteriology.
A negro member Of the Public
Library Trustees, with all white asso
ciates.
black commander Of white post
of the Grand Army. And
a woman Of nearly pure African
blood acting as principal Of a grammar
school in z fashionable district, with
six white teachers and several hundred
white pupils under her charge.
Having shown how we'll the negro
has prospered in New England and
what chances Of professional and social
advance await him here, the Picayune
cites a western instance, Iowa, and
tells at length the happy story of Bux-
ton in that state, prosperous town
Of 5000 inhabitants Of whom SO per
cent are black and all of whose munic-
iIal affairs are Iun successfully by
colUrc.i people. Having dwelt at length
upon these conditions the Picayune
appeals to the southern negroes as
follows:
Here are two northern states among
the farthest Massachusetts in
the east and Iowa in the weSt-that are
politically, socially and in every other
way virtual paradiScs for the Southern
nt ,,rneS. In all probability other
northern states offer conditions quite
as desirable. 1t is true that negroes In
the North will have to work. Nobody
there is going t. support them in
iilencSS, but they will not have to work
any harder than do the whites. The
solution Of the race question is for the
southern negroes To migrate in great
numbers 70 the northern states. 1t
would lie very simple matter if eight
millions of negroes were dispersed, dis
tritutcd among the eighty millions of
white people Of the Union. This can be
done without any vast expenditure of
money. and without robbing the cOun-
try of any of its population. AS the
blacks would flow nOrthWarG, cores
lending current of whites would set in
southwark and the situation would be
cvened up without the slightest dis
turbance of any sort
The logic Of the Picayune seems
sound, but il is not at all likely that
this or any other appeal along these
lines will result in any general exodus
Of negroes from the South. No doubt
the whole South would endorse the
attitude of our New Orleans contem-
porary in this matter. Not that il
lation by any means. but that it would
gladly lose a part Of il, especially the
undesirable element, and have the
nc gro problem become 4 national mat
ter instead Of sectional one. No
doubt the South. in spite Of the fact
that il needs more laborers for its
fields and it's factories than it now has.
would gladly lose million or two Of
its cnlnred population. In fact, it is
safe assertion that it would be much
more glad to lose it than the North or
ihc West would be to receive it, for
honesty and canlor compels the north
ener to admit that he prefers t" see the
negro problem remain 4 southern prob
lea rather than to have it brought TO
his own door.
There is small likelihood, however,
that the S .uthern negroes will migrate
in large numbers from the South.
either t. other parts of this country or
to some other country. as has frequent
Is been urged. IN spite Of the political
oppression which they suffer and the
abuse which they often receive, they
will cling to the land of their birth on
account of its racial associations and
its mere congenial climate. Those who
are honest and Industrious, and this Of
course includes a great part Of them,
are doing very well indeed in the South,
and those who are too lazy to succeed
there 1r,a not likely to go elsewhere.