The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1909-12-11
Emigration to
Africa UnwiSe.
D.. 6nest lyon. American Mlalstsr TO
liberia. h Address at New York
SayS Ire Negro Caa SuThs he
Struggle Fer Existence HSrs
and ShOuA Remain.
RyNR DoDSoN.


Lyceum Ia New York Dr. Ernest Lyon,
American minister and resident consul
general at Monrovia, Liberia, speaking
On emigration Of the American Negro
70 Africa, said:
"Tn regard TO the struggle which Is
now on between the two races two Ques-
tons are suggested-yiz: Can the race
survive the struggle? II 1t cannot, is
Il wise for It to remain?
These In turn suggest q third, II
emigration, whittier?
''Can the race survive the struggle
for existence, In which are pitted
against 1t In the most formidable man.
ner mind and matter, men and money,
laws and institutions. together with
every other device which the ingenuity
Of the other race can invent? l answer
emphatically yes. The fttest viii sur
viYe. 1t Is impossible to annihilate ten
millions OF people.
The ancient Britons Cicero describ-
ed as being dull, stupid and &c only for
slaves. No one would have thought
that from the latter race would come
the masters and conquerors Of the
earth; that their literature would have
become the cream Of the human intel
Iect and their language the most popu-
ar on the globe.
81 would rather be q Negro than
anything else and to be where the
struggle is the fercest The hope Of
triumph through manly endeavors
should furnish inspiration to endure
hardships as a good soldier and citizen.
'Let us admit, however. by way Of
argument, that the Negro cannot sur
vfve. What then? Would you advise
him to remain In a land in which he
seems doomed to discrimination and
humiliation and perhaps to extinction,
as the social scientist would express It!
/ answer this question In the afdrma-
tive. would advise him to remain
until he was thoroughly convinced that
he could better his condition by going
to some other country.
~What are the reasons advanced 70
justify Negro emigration from the
United States? TEo-the white mans
reason, general unacceptability on &C
count Of race and color with this we
cannot deal In this paper; second, the
black mans reason, prejudice.
This Is the most comprehensive
term that can be employed. All seem
agreed that prejudice against race
and color, arising from q previous con-
dttion OF servitude, II the root Of the
eva. This Is the indictment and the
only one that can be made against the
people Of the United States. But do
not think the situation VIII be helped
any By declaring that the evn is uni
Versal.
"What imputation can be brought, so
far Is the country itself Is concerned,
against the territorial adequacy OF its
resources for the livelihood Of fits cid
ssns without any reference to race, color
o. previous condition Of servitude2
'What indictment can be brought
AGAINST the abundance Of opportuni-
ties In almost every sphere Of influence
for the development and progress Of
the Negroes. II the door OF oppor-
tunity closes among the whites he can
turn to more than 100000 Of his
own race whose needs are similar IN
der the same favorable auspices.
'TWhat imputation can be brought
against the advantage for education
Of every kind-classical. professional,
technical, liberal and industrial? In
no other country in the world do the
same advantages exist for the poor.
'eWhat indictment can be brought
AGAINST the spirit OF Christian benevo-
lence, which is widespread, manifest
ing itself in a number Of schools and
colleges. universities and seminaries.
scattered all over the land, for the
higher education OF the Negro?
Now, / say with all candor II the
Nero can better his condition In so
brief a time by going somewhere else,
let him leave.
"Where win you direct him to got
Africa, you say, but Liberia In partic-
ular.
mo one who knows the condition In
Africa would advise emigration to any
mart of that continent l think the
feeling is decidedly against the coming
OF the American Negro. am satisfied
that the American Negro would find,
in addition to the opposition which
would come from the heads Of Euro
pean colonies and protectorates In
Africa, IL he intended to i've In them,
a curious kind OF prejudice Of blacks
against blacks, which would annoy
him equally as much, II not more, than
that in the United States
Il should feel some delicacy In Of
fering Liberia 70 American Negroes.
IN view Of the fact that the highest
authorities in Liberia have declared
that Il Is not ready for the return Of
the ex1es."