The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-05-25
10, THE POOR AFRICAN

We continue to get reports that the
negroes who left the south to go north
for the purpose of Obtaining better
wages. and in other ways lettering
their condition, have not found things
as they expected, and many OF them
are trying to get back to their old
homes.
The st. Petersburg Independent has
received letter from one who left
st. Petersburg, inclosing the follow
ing clipping from a Cincinnati paper:
"A most serious situation exists in
this city today as the result of the in
creasing influx of negroes, particular
! iy from central Georgia and western
Tennessee. Fifteen hundred arrived
here last night in one shipment, re-
! sulting in several minor riots be-
tween the incomers and the poor
whites they are displacing. Promi-
nent social workers met the negroes
at the depots and begged them not to
leave the depot
Scores of the strangers are being
compelled to sleep on the floors of
of the Central Union railroad station.
/ Every room of the Ninth street
branch of the Y. VI. c. A. was occupied
last night by as many as fourteen ne
groes to the room, while thirty slept
in the corridors Fifteen negro fam
lilies are being cared for and fed at
the Park street church.
Miss Jennie D. Porter, principal of
the Harriet Beecher Stowe public
schools, called upon the city mayor
and demanded immediate action by
the police and the sanitary authori-
ties. Each week. Miss Porter told
Mayor Puchta, the situation is becom-
ing more serious.
"Superintendent F. J. Edmonds Of
the Associated Charities, declared to-
day that the demand would be made
upon the United States authorities to
prosecute the labor agents RESPONSE
BILE for the false reports being spread
in the south to induce the exodus OF
negroes by the thousand. Over an
hundred thousand negroes have come
into the central states from the va
rious southern states within the past
six months. Few find homes and
most are camping out in tents in va
cant waste lands near the large cit
ies."
The late Booker T. Washington, the
most respected leader of his race, who
had travelled extensively in the north
and in foreign countries, mainly for
the purpose of studying labor condi-
lions, so as to be in position to give
reliable and the best advice to his
trace, insisted on all occasions that
the negro would find the safest oppor-
tunities awaiting him in the south,
and among the people he best knew
and who best knew him. Here, he
said. the negro was better prepared
to cope with existing conditions, and
would find the greater encourage
ment
Rev. S. NJ. Gibbs, a well known
colored preacher at the patriotic
demonstration rally recently held in
this city, stated that he had Travelled
in the north, east and west, and could
say from a personal study of condi-
tions that the negro's place was in
the home of his nativity. Here, he
said, he knew his neighbors and they
knew him: here, if he were honest
and reliable, he could obtain credit
from mercantile establishments and
from the banks: if he should fall sick
or his family fall sick, he could obtain
medical and professional attention,
which, he could not do in a strange
land and among strange people.
Here, he said also, that they would
find larger and increasing opportu-
mites and here more and more in
creasing educational advantages were
being extended to the negro.
The negro lodge of the Knights Of
Pythias has just been held in this
city There were four or five hun
dred in attendance The report
shows that within a short space OF
time they had collected fifty-six thou
sand dollars. The delegates were all
uniforms; they all had swords and
other insignia of office; they were well
shod and had the appearance of be-
ing well fed. There were any number
of automobiles in the procession which
belonged to attending delegates, and
there was no murmur of complaint
that they were unjustly or harshly
treated.
1t seems to be ordained that the
two races have by the dispensation
of providence been thrown together
in the south, and here together they
must work out their destiny and each
accept and try to make the best of
conditions as they find them.
1t is not for us to question the mo-
tivese of the Creator in giving the two