The National tribune., 1909-08-05

let us pause and make the discovery that
there is very little but class legislation. |
Our pensioned soldiers are a class. Our
deaf and dumb are cla"s. Our blind are
n class. Our insane a.e a class. Our
paupers are class. Yet we legislate speci-
ally for each of these classes. let us eN-
tend the legislation TO meet an emergency
before it meets us. Let Congress pus-
chase land in the black belt and contigu-
Gus. if practicable. Cut it up into small
tracts, say. not to exceed 40 acres to one
tract. Provide necessary roads. primary
and secondary. so that each tract shall
have access thereto. Provide for churches
and schools. Put all such land under
competent and friendly trustees. Lease
these tracts to blacks and such whites as
may be willing to comply with the rules
ard regulations for the government OF the
colony. Keep the ownership in the United
States Government. rs guard against
hostile State legislation. The colonists
would be in the condition of inhabitants
of Territory before it is admitted to State
! heed The occupants would not suffer by
| State disffanchisement. They would have
no need to vote except on matters of their
| our internal government. They would NOT
/ be taxed by State, nor would they be
counted in the basis of Congressional
representation, any more than is the DIS.
trict of Columbia. counted to Maryland
and Virginia This. in time, would solve
| the violation of the War Amendments to
the United States Constitution. Negroes
outside could acquire and maintain a resi-
| dence in the colony, so as not to be counted
in the basis of representations elsewhere.
This is often done for other seasons.
| Let the purchase of land continue from
| time to time as the present owners shall
be willing to sell, and there will always
be some willing to sell. A conspiracy OF
owners not to sell will not hold together
very long. As the colony shall grow ana
widen, the adjoining white owners will be
more and more anxious to sell.
To prevent conspiracy or purchasers
| from buying up and monopoizing the land,
in order to defeat the colony. let there be
a progressive or cumulative tax on each
additional acre above 40. per year. be-
! ginning say, I cent for the 4lst acre.
cents for the 42d acre, and so augmenting
the tax that no purchaser will care to
carry a quarter section. Raise the rate
enough to accomplish the purpose. Lessees
must be allowed to sell their holdings and
| improvements and must be required to
work the land or forfeit it. No corpora
ton or combination to be allowed hold
ing. The annual leasage to be applied e
the Improvement of roads and other public
matters, the remainder to go to the pur-
chase of more land Establish military
post garrisoned by colored soldiers. Great
er details to be provided by the trustees.
i All things considered proposition
ought to be satisfactory to all parties 1T
the North 1t should be eminently satis-
factory TO the Southern people. who are Sc
afraid of negro equality, but it will not pc
Nothing will satisfy that part of tht
South which dominates the whole but th'
practical reinstatement of the negro
Much as they dread negro equality, they
dread negro superiority more. Ii is com
ing, and they see it. Hence every effor
TO hedge against it. If such scheme
| should be successfully started, it woult
become a land of refuge for persecutec
negroes, both South and North. Thu
scheme would make the negroes independ
ent of their prosecutors: and when tht
prosecutors discover this they will OF
necessity have to resort to fairness, kind
ness and good will to retain their negro
labor.
There are many fair-minded people II
the South. but they are dominated by thai
arrogant. aggressive element which drovt
the South into secession. If this schem.,
is declined, what other shall be adopted!
Lincoln's proposition of compensation
emapcipation was declined. powder,
and-ball compensation took its place. a
hint to the wise ought to be suihcient
The United States Government which ac
cepted the military aid of 1SOOUO negro
1 soldiers in the civil war, ought-late as !
is-to give them some place where the, h,
can rest in peace and security.-John
CrmpbeIl, La Fayette. Ind.