The Washington herald., 1908-03-08

which is kept at fever temperature, not
/ by healthful fireplace, but by tight
stove. This. with the lack OF proper san
| itary. conveniences. becomes a hotbed
OF disease. Even in mild weather I have
been in negro houses in the North where
the air was almost unendurably warm and
impure
know OF nothing more tragic than the
condition Of the swarming newer negro
populations of Northern cities-the more
tragic because the negro is so cheerful
and patient about It all. looked into
the statistics closely in several OF them.
and in no instance does the birth rate
keep pace with the death rate. They die
of faster thanNhey reproduce themselves,
and II IL were not for the immigration
constantly rolling upward from the So"th
the negro population in Northern cities
would show a falling OF.
Race Suicide Among Negroes.
From inquiries that have made every
where in the North there would seem,
indeed. to be a tendency to race sui
eide among negroes as among the old
American white stock Especially is this
true among the better class negroes The
ignorant negro in Southern agricultural
districts is exceedingly prolific, but his
Northern city brother has comparatively
few children.
-~Not only is the death rate high in the
North, but the negro is hampered by
sickness TO a much greater degree than
white people Hospital records in Phil
adelphia show an excess OF negro pa
tents over whites. according 10 pOpula-
ton, OF i25 per cent.
Such are the pains of readjustment
which the negroes are having TO bear in
the North.
A question arises whether they can
ever become a large factor of the popu-
lation in Northern ATTITUDES. They are
certainly not holding their own in the
country or in the smaller cities, and IN
the large cities they are increasing az
present not by the birth rate, but by con-
slant immigration.
Hostile physical conditions OF life IN
the North are not the only difficulties
that the negro has to meet He thought
be left prejudice behind in the South
but he finds 1t also showing It's teeth
here in the North. And, as in the South.
a wide difference Is apparent between the
attitude OF the best class of white men
and the lower class.
How NOrtherners Regard Negro.
One of the first things that struck me
when / began studying race conditions
IN the North was the position of the bet
ter class OF white people with regard to
the negro. In the South every white
man and woman has a vigorous and vital
opinion on the race question. You have
only to apply the match. the explosion is
IN Il
A few Of the older people still preserve
something OF the wartime sentiment for
the negro; but the people one ordinarily
meets don't know anything about the
negro. don't discuss him. and don't care
about him.
Race Prejudice In Boston
In Boston. OF all places. I expected to
find much of the old Sentiment 1t does
exist among some Of the older men and
women. but l was surprised at the gen
eral attitude which 1 encountered. II
was one Of hesitation and withdrawal.
Summed up, think the feeling of the
better class OF people in Boston Cand else
where in Northern cities might be thus
stated:
We have helped the negro to liberty:
we have helped TO educate him: we have
encouraged him 10 stand on his own
feet Now let's see what he can do for
himself After all, he must survive or
perish by his own efforts.
In short. they have cast the bantling
on the rocks"
Though they still preserve the form
OF encouraging the negro. the spirit seems
TO have fed. Not long ago the negroes
Of Boston organized a concert at which
Theodore Drury, a colored musician OF
really notable accomplishments. was TO
appear. Aristocratic white people were
appealed to and bought a considerable
number Of tickets; but on the evening OF
the concert the large block OF seats pur-
chased by white people was conspicuously
vacant Northern white people would
seem 70 be more interested in the distant
Southern negro than in the negro at
their doors.
Before | take UP the cruder and more
violent expressions Of prejudice on the
part Of the lower. class of white men In
the North I want 10 show the beginnings
of COld-shOuldeTinK as il exists in vary
ing degrees in Northern cities, and espe-
cially IN Boston, the older center Of abol-
tionism.
super1cially. at least, the negro in Bos-
eOl' SIN eHJOys the WIDEST freedom, but
after one gets down to real conditions
he finds much complaint and alarm on
the part of negroes over growing restric-
tiOns.
Boston exercises no discrimination on
the street ears, on railroads. or in thea
ters or other places of public gathering.
The schools are absolutely free. Negro
teachers. chosen through the ordinary
channels of competitive examination.
teach in the public schools. There are
negro policemen. negro fremen. negro Of
fCeholders-fully as many OF them az the
proportion OF negro population in Boston
A HE AVJEN ION