The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-08-28

the natural possibilities which NAV
be evolved from the present situa-
ton. We may designate these go
lutions.' if we feel compelled to offer
the public something in the nature OK
definite, tangible end to its racial
difficulties. But probably it would
more nearly approximate the truth
to say that the nearest approach to
a solution which the future shall see
will be in the development of con
ditiOus under which the two races
may occupy common territory with
a minimum amount OF friction. II
need not be expected that race fric-
ton will entirely disappear as long
as there IS racial contact. This IS
As true Of any two physically diff
fcrcut races anywhere as it is of the
Caucasian and the negro in America.
There are three possible outcomes
OF present conditions. As soon as
we undertake the discussion of either
of these we are confronted with the
difficulty incident to any treatment
of the future. There are some writ
ers who discuss the future of social
problems with the ease and facility
which mark the treatment of past
events by the historian who has
mastered his subject 1t is the com
mon practice of such writer's to dis
miss this or that suggestion as un-
worthy of consideration because
impossible They conveniently ig-
more the disagreeable truth that With
the future all things are possible ="
# the writer happens to beta negro,
or a Northern white man, he is quite
apt pcremptorily to dispose of such
suggestion as deportation. or the
voluntary. cxpatriation of the negro,
even as a possible eventuation Of the
future. II he happens to be Sou
thern white man, he is equally likely
to dismiss the possibility Of the
amalgamation of the two races. IF
he happens to be a man peculiarly
inclined toward hopeful OF humane
views, he is quite sure to dispose IN
the same way OF the possibility OF
determining racial conflict Yet each
of these things is possibility" of
the future. and as such is entitled to
consideration.
Take, first, the matter OF deporta-
ton OF voluntary expatriation. The
equivalent Of this, under the name
Of colonization, was the dream of
the first half OF the nineteenth cen
fury with those Americans who con
templated the future with apprehen
sion. 1t was not abandoned as a
possible ISOLATION OF existing and i'm
pending problems even in the time
of Lincoln Mr. Lincoln himself
grasped at the idea of building up i'll
the West Indies home for the
American negroes. He took the in
itial step of opening negotiations
with the Danish representative III
Washington, with a view to acquir
ing such a location. But nothing
came Of it. His idea was that of an
assisted movement wholly voluntary
in character The various COLOMBIA
ton societies also contemplated a
voluntary movement. But very
much more than the mere induce
mcntS alone which Africa IS ever
likely to be able to offer will be nee
cssarv to set in motion stream Of
immigration from America to that
continent There must exist also 4
state of dissatisfaction with condi-
tons here. America would not have
been peopled from Europe if it had
been dependent solely upon adven-
turcrs in quest OF wealth, Nor would
it have received the millions who
have come to its shores had political,
economic. and social conditions been
as good in Europe. for the masses
as they were here. Balancing such
conditions between Africa and amer
lea, the negro has just now nothing
to gain by such a change. But the
mere fact OF long residence in par
liz btdt COUNT q c@t'N7
against the possibility of emigration.
All such movements are from old
countries to new. and Africa is the
newest continent in the world, as
we'll as possibly the oldest. 1t IS
conceivable that for the American
negro Africa may still be new CEN
ttiry hence. as America was new
three centuries ago TO those who felt
themselves oppressed in Europe, and
as it is yet new to those. whether
in Europe or Asia. 70 whom it offers
opportunities of economic or social
betterment The negro would not
leave America for Africa today for
a variety OF reasons America Is
not crowded and still needs his labor.
Africa al present offers no real adj
vantage for the negro over Amer
lea. The lines OF communication
between the two countries are few,
and the facilities poor. There are
as yet no emigrant steamers IN the
African trade And. above all, the
negro has not developed sufficiently
10 feel in the mass. amy great degree