Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-01-24
THE NEGO PROBLEM
CAN BE SOLVED

CAN BE SOLVED
The basis of all wealth is agri-
culture"
Someone said this generations
ago, and it is today taken as an
incontrovertible fact, accepted by
farmer, banker and merchant.
However there can be no agri-
culture without LABOR. There
can be no industry without La
Dor. There can be neither pros
perity nor production - agricul-
turaI, industrial or otherwise -
without LABOR.
If this be true, then labor MUST
BE our first consideration. OBJ
TANNING labor and RETAINING
labor is the first essential factor
necessary to wealth.
No section of the globe has been
so blessed in its labor supply as
the south. For generations we
have had the negro as our labor
foundation. But what we had and
what we can keep are two entirely
different questions.
The negro is leaving the south.
The south is losing its principal
labor supply. Why?
The Times-Recorder has receiy-
ed a communication addressed to
the editor from prominent negro
educator. In this letter he points
out reasons why the south is losing
its labor supply. The communica-
ton is well worth the careful at
tention of every broad-minded
southern man and woman, and is
as follows:
Editor Times-Recorder
| read with unusual interest
your editorial of yesterday on
why Negroes Are Migrating
North"
Living in daily contact with the
negroes, keeping in close touch
with their thoughts and feelings
that the public is entitled to the
whole truth upon such vital sub
jects, | give herein what l am con-
WINGED are the prime causes of ne
gro migration.
You and the Cuthbert Ledger
are correct in naming i'll treatment
as one of the causes of negroes
leaving the South. There is, how
ever, another cause which is just
as vital, the failure of the state and
county authorities to provide rea-
sonable educational facilities for
negro children. There is also
minor cause that has its influence:
the practice of the good white peo-
Pile of the South of simply de
nouncing these outrages upon
colored people and the fail
ure to bring the perpetrators to
justice.
met a colored man few days
ago on his way to Philadelphia.
lie had in his possession recon-
mendations from the judge of the
court, one of the most prominent
lawyers of the community, and
leading banker of the city He al
so carried a cashiers check for
neat sum. I asked him why he
would leave a community in which
he was so well thought of, and
where he was apparently getting
ahead financially? He said that
he hated to leave his old home and
the friends that he had made there,
and especially did he regret to
leave his church, and to be de-
priyed of the Christian fellowship
that he so much enjoyed. But, 5"
said he, Il have six children for
whose protection and for whose
education I see no hope in the
community where ! am living. and
! am leaving in order that | may
find a place Of safety and an OPP
portunity for their education"
The negroes are urged almost
daily to educate their children and
prepare them for useful citizen
ship. Many of them are aroused
to make the most of this advice
and in migrating are simply seek.
ing an opportunity to accomplish
that end. l speak advisably wher
say that not one negro out Of
ten would leave Georgia if ade.
quate provision We're made for
his protection and education. II
is hard, if not impossible, for YOU
to imagine the feeling of the ne
gro who thinks at all.
There is a feeling prevalent
among all of US that our live.
are unsafe every moment and thai
in the event we were ruthlessly
assailed, her assailants being white
men. the most that would happier
would be denunciation of TIE wick
edness on the part of the gooC
white people, while the perpetrat
ors would go free.
There are hopeful signs, how