The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-10-21
NORTHERN PAPERS OPINION
OF NEGRO MIGRATION


groes to the north, the Brooklyn Eagle, with
a better knowledge of the subject than many
northern newspapers display, says First of
all, let US discard the notion that the neg.o
likes to be treated as he is by northern whites
and hates to be treated as he is by southern
whites of the fine old families"
In this connection, the Eagle re.ells the
characteristic story Of the old negro VINO WAS
respectfully, but cody repulsed when he asked
for help at the doors of northern people, but
finally came to the residence of typical old
gentleman from the south who blessed him
out for coming to his front door, but sent the
wanderer around to the Kitchen to eat his fill
Then it was the old negro fell on his knees
and explained, "Thank de Lawd, I've found
my own people at lastl"
That little story illustrates the relations that
exist between the better class Of southern white
people and negroes. 1t that way before
the Civil war and it has continued ever since.
Seeking another explanation for the shifting
of colored population, the Eagle says:
Doubtless high wages have tempted coored peo-
pie to come north. That this impulse reached it's
maximum in the World may conceded. But
the greatest force has been fear mob murderers,
of shoo,ings. of hangings of burnings stake.
The privilege of voting and having vote counted
is more or less academic in the negro mind.
The right of security for life and property vital
to peaceful living. The better classes in the cot
ton states f'asMss ssaathized with manifold
brutaitiss. but the" have checked the brutes.
Little by little the have dream of
being guided in slavery days by the north star.
Who can blame them?
One thought be too strongly vempha sized.
The south needs the negro than the negro
needs the south. and running away Is easy with
the legal safeguards OF slavery lacking. Planters
who fail To bear this in mind deaf sind blind
to their interests, Until they get rid of this
deafness and blindness the shift northward will
In some of the rural districts of the south
unquestionably fear of mob violence has caused
negroes to leave their homes and migrate to
the north, but much stronger and more uni
versal motive is the desire to improve their
economic condition. The negroes believe they
can make more money in the north live in bet
ter houses, enjoy better school facilities for
their children and get more out of life. MANY
of them have failed to profit by the change
partly because of their own racial handicaps
and the fact that they have been deceived by
the glowing stories told of conditions in north
ern cities.
So far as security of life and property j.
concerned, attacks of southern white people
even the toughest class, on negroes simply be-
cause they are negroes are of rare occur
renee Practically every racial outbreak in
the south of any consequence has been due 20
q crime. There are thousands of negroes IN
the south who own farms and are prosperous.
They would be hard to convince that their prop
erty and lives are not secure They are safe
because they law-abiding. It is the shift
less, ne'er-dowell negro who is most suscep-
tible to the lure of the north, and that includes
a great many farm hands.
The southern people realize that stricter
law enforcement is the way to protect ne
groes and prevent them from leaving. in
spite of lynchings, here and there, this realiza-
ton is helping to improve the lot of the south
= ern negro and assure him square deal