The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-14
Friday, Msrch IA, 1919.
THE SOUTH AND THE NEGRO

John ". Farley, prominent attorney
OF Memphis, Tenn. has made an inter
.srtshr stn6y Of the colored population
and eolored vote Of the south. and has
presented some deductions of unusual
yalua. It has been generally assumed
that the colored population in the south
Has increasing more rapidly than the
white population. According to thu ns-
ures presented by Mr.. Farley. the coll
: ored population in the southern states
1. smaller in proportion to the white
non,1ation than it was 20 years ago.
and the whites continue to gain upon
the blacks rapidly. From 1890 to 1900
fAA nesro population Of Kentucky de-
creased. From 1900 to 1910 the negro
population Of Maryland. Tennessee and
Missouri showed an actual decrease.
q Between 1900 and 1910 the white popula-
ton increased more rapidly than the
nesro in each Of the southern states
where negroes are most numerous MI
sration Of whites to the south and OF
+. nerroes to the north is the cause OF
partly this difference. But the high rate
OF mortality among the negroes. both
admit and infant. and the low birth rate
among the blacks is believed by Mr.. Far
lev to be the principal factor in this
decrease.
There are only three states in tn"
south in which the negroes Increased
Easter than the whites and these are Ar
kansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia.
! and the increase in these states is &C
: cS1nted for by migration from ether
states. The general impression that ne
4ross have large families. according 10
Mr. Farley, IS dispeilcd by the 1910 cen
st,s. This census disclosed the fact that.
m compared with previous censuSes.
there was decrease in all the southern
states of negroes under years OF age.
In the city of Memphis. Tenn. which IS
Y.
tSken as typical southern CITY. the
r population was 1cl.0Oo. Of which 40 per
!. cent were negroes. The average num-
her OF persons per white family was
four and five-tenths and the avHrae"
Climber Of persons per negro family was
Enly three and tiyc-tenths. In 50 cities
kf $4,000 or more the proportion OF chill
kren was lower in the negro than 1t was
& the whit: population. The deductions
khich Mr.. Farley draws from thrs" facts
h that the acutencss Of the negro prob
lem. as he expresses it. has forever pass
Id from the south. In ether words. the
tharp racial antagoniSm which resulted
6rom the clash Of interests between men
5f different color is no longer justified
Ind should no longer "Nist.
Z The preponderancc OF white popula-
don throughout the south has been clear
" established. and ms the years pass by
This prepondcrance will be como more
iparked.
= With it all. perhaps. will como a
Sreater tolerance OF the negro on the part
81 his white neighbors. The experiences
{ IF the reconstruction period have passed
1vay. At the most. they are only mem
srie. or "reminiscences. Mr.. Farley also
Soints out the rather remarkable fact
that the sections Of the south IN which
ihe negro is most numerous are the very
Sections which return the very largest
Democratic. or an,i-negro. najorities in
Elections In other words. in these sec
lions the negroes are kept Systematically
away from the polls by Intimidation or
) persuasion. and the white voters more
actively exercise the right of ballot In
( EASTERN Tennessee. western North Carolina
5 and other southern sections in which the
negro vote is relatively light. tho Eepub-
Acan party has made rapid Roadway dur
1nK the past few years. and in many sec
ions commands more than half OF the
cote cast.