The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-04-18
bad TASTE"

EDITOR REGISTER: tastes differ.
At the risk of drawing down upon my
devoted head an avalanche of ''odor-
Gus comparisons and antilhetical
expressions as copious as flows from
the pen of your local editor in a para
graph of yesterdays issue, under the
head of ''In Bad Taste" 1 must ask
permission to dissent from the senti-
ments expressed therein.
If it be sin bad taste" to be philan-
thropic, kind, and benevolent, then is
the writer correct. If it be ''in bad
taste" to cultivate and elevate the in
telligence of any member of the COM
munity, then are his structures proper
and just. If it be ..in bad TASTE to
advance the mental and moral Gull
ture of any human being, black or
white, then I admit his idea of what
constitutes good or bad tastes to be
true. Ii it be '.in bad taste" to permit
principle to govern our acts instead of
prejudice, then the thoughtless words
in the paragraph referred to are in
good taste.
Think that. with our constant boast
of a free country and the DISPOSE
ton TO make education and intelli-
gence the basis of the ballot, it is lin
bad taSte'' 10 close the sources of in
teiligence to any portion of the pOpu-
lation. Think that, with u vdunt-
ed system of free schools, it is lin bad
taste to refuse the benefits of educa-
tional facilities secured by the taxes
and contributions of all and for all.
| think that. after throwing upon the
colored c the duties and response
bilities of freedom. it is in bad taste
to deny them the opportunities for
qualifying themselves 10 fulfill those
duties and responsibilities. | think
that, after refusing a colOred child the
full and free use of the educational
institutions for the maintenance of
which its parents pay their full appor-
tionnent, il is lin bad taste to cast
improper reflections upon those less
p~rejudiced and more generous, who
attempt to remedy, to some extent,
the evil thus inflicted on that child.
| think it is ..in bad taste for those
who advocate the exclusion of a bright
intelligent lad from the privileges and
advantages Of the common school, to
speak harshlV and unkindly of those
who would compensate for the wrong
done by giving him the intellectual
and moral instruction which the o
limited means of the Sunday School
afford. If any parents, be they black
or white. wish to educate and improve
their child. and train him up to be an
honest and intelligen; citizen instead
of permitting him to grow up a Jail
bird and n pest to society, | think they
evince very good taste-especially if
they are of the prescribed race. II
Sunday School teachers, who from
worthy and disinterested motives,
| give their time, b and means to
inculcate early and wholesome lessons
of good morals and good conduct into
the minds of the young, follow the
example of him who is II re>pecter
of PERSONS welcoming all and forbid
ding none, l think they evince very
good taste. If, i'll the performance Of
their noble task, they strive lot 10
efface their good teachings from the
minds of any of their Young disciples
by making them feel the o~stra.ism of
race or color, | think they show very
good taste. If the managers of the
Sunday School, in the spirit of their
mission, endeaVor to make the good
seed germinate and grow in a willing
soil by giving every member of the
Sunday School the encouragement
of a participation, i'll full and
impartial measure, in all eXer-
cises, enjoyments and attractions of
the school. instead of blurring and
blotting with the cold sponge of caste
and complexion the good lessons they
would inScribe on the pure young
heart, l think they do their good work
in very good taste, and it is in bad
taste for the press 10 stigmatize their
good acts as exhibitions of maudlin
SENTIMENT or say that their conduct
is ''particularly disgusting" and that
they ought to have better sense" In
this l think the "better sense and in
telligence of the public will agree with
me. b.
Carson, April II, 1871.