The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-14
AFRICAN PARADISE.
The Hope of Negroes Lies in Liberia.
Says Jackson. Whose Parents Left
America just After the Civil War.

Says Jackson. W nose S1PentS LclL
America just After the Civil War.
New, York, Aug. S.-Sepator R. H.
Jackson, Of Liberia, who is now in
this city, is convinced that the only
hope Of the American negro is in the
African republic. The senator is g
small black man considerably past
middle age His parents were among
the first to go from America to Africa.
They We're once slaves and emigrat-
ed from New Orleans to Monrovia.
81 see no hope for the negro in
America he said. 81 agree with
Bishop Turner that all who have the
means should seek a home in Liberia.
IF I saw him com'9-ning with whites
in business and being treated with
impartiality I would say nothing
but he is to be found in no large en-
terprises to speak Of, and so socially
he is an outcast.
..The Liberian Emigration Society
formerly transported the negroes
ond maintained them for six months.
IT would be well for the negroes and
the whites, if the United States gov
ernment-which now protects the
republic from foreign aggression
would undertake the work which
the society is no longer able to per-
form.
"Do you intend to see President
Roosevelt upon this proposal!" ask
ed the reporter.
NO" replied the senator. L am
in this country on a private business
enterprise and have no. commission
from my government to take the mat
ter up with him, and I would not
presume to bring it up otherwise"
"what do you think Of the pro-
posal to- set aside a portion OF the
United States and restrict it's use to
negroes %
"That would fail. It would only
lead to trouble. The only plan for
doing away with the race problem IS
to make it possible for any OF the
negroes who wish to go to Africa"
"You would not propose a genera!
transmisration, would you?'
.eNo; would not like to see a
great number going to Liberia at one
time. I would not have any one go
who did not do so voluntarily, and
would not have them go with de-
lusions.
.The pioneers went to Africa newly
released from slavery. They were
spurred on to face all sorts Of hard
ships by the thought that they would
be free, and succeed. Their des-
cendants have no such inspiration
and many of them have fallen into
shiftless ways. Take them all for all,
they are just about the same as the
r.-rT5es are here S7rcc -o-k enc
so9ae 10 aot
rThe G.iberiass ar@ aaoee 5000
II rur1aer arc thee re l.5e0,a9e
heathers about efsera Thesr get
along we'll with the natives, a num-
ber Of whom are civilized now. We
have our schools and our churches
and about half our population can
read and write. The people here
tell me that some day they will have
a share in the government, out I tell
them that that will never be.
s'They must be equal in brains,
equal in purse and equal in num-
oers before they can hope for that.
but there is no immigration Of ne
groes to this country, and whites
are continually coming in from all
parts. The negroes can only dwindle
in numbers
hen you pells'e thd' A1iNo i'
should afford the solution of our race
problem !''
Yes. If the government of the
United States take steps to enlarge
Liberia and assist in the develop
1..ezt- of its resources by lending finan-
c;al aid. there is no reason why we
should not become a prosperous ma
ton. That in itself would draw the
negroes whom the government would
assist in establishing in our republic.
~ Will mail you free, to prove mer-
it. sample Of my DR.. Shoop Resfora-
tive. and my book on either dyspepsia,
49, J>a T'TOD D. les OF