Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-06-18
Mr.. CURTIS contends, in vigorous ar

Mr.. CURTIS contends, in a vigorous ar
ticls published in Harper's Weekly, that
the only way to get rid Of the prejudice
of white people against mixed schools is
to crush il with legislation. He argues
that prejudice is never conquered by
but that it grows stronger
under such treatment. 1t must be adj
mitted that the success of the colored
brother as a juror. as witness, as q
voter, and his undisputed enjoyment OF
street car travel, 60 far to strengthen Mr.. |
Curtis position.-[virg. Enterprise.
Here's another crusher who wants to
make other people think as he dictates,
under penalty of having their prejudices
"crushed." From the above extract it
appears that the editor Of Harper's
says "that a prejudice is never conquered
by concession Now we would like to
know the prejudice that EVER was con-
quered by force. The English tried for
over six hundred years to weaken the
prejudices OF the Irish in favor Of gov
eminent OF their own, and for long Pc
Rod endeavored to stamp out their at
tachment to the Roman Catholic, and
prejudice against the Protestant religion;
but we do not think the undertaking was
remarkable as a success. Turn to the
pages Of history, and you will find ex-
ample after example of just such appli-
cations of force, and all equally unsuc-
cessful. Such prosecutions on account
Of prejudices, or whatever you please to
call them, drove the Flemish WOODEN
manufactures to England, also the silk
weavers. 1t carried the Pilgrims to
Plymouth Rock. and the Hugenots to
South Carolina. In fact, the lesson is
the same all through the volume that is
inscribed by the finger of time, that force
engenders resistance. True, the latter
may be overcome physically, but the
prejudice is there still, and will remain
the more firmly rooted, because its
growth has been watered by the tears
that persecution has wrupg from misery.
But illustrations are not necessary, let
any man turn to the promptings of his
own heart, and what will they tell him,
when the strong hand of might forces
him to do anything that he is deeply
prsjudiced against and is unwilling to do.
His every thought incites him to resist
snce, and if that is useless or impossible,
then deep down in his bosom the feeling
of injury rankles that on the first favor
able opportunity will spring forth like
serpent in ambush and strike the agrees
sor that has inflicted the wrongs. On
the other hand, prejudices have been and
are conqured and extinguished by con-
cession, kindness and persuasion. When
i. is found the dislike or objection is
groundless, or has no real merit, and that
no reasonable person ought to make any
opposition to the proposed measure or
change from the established order of
things, then the desired improvement IL
easily effected, and those that labored
under the wrong impression will freely
confess their error. Besides, this talk
about crushing" prejudices, and COM
pellng the people to do what they
do not wish, is an anomaly in a
country where the people are supposed
to govern themselves. The great lights
OF the Republican party seem to have
acquired the notion that they are the de
facto government of the country, and
what they decide upon must be accepted
as final. They appear to think that the
American people are like the subjects of
the Caliph, and when they hear they
must obey. This foolish fancy, bred by
long IMMUNITY, and the habit OF legislat-
ing for or against people who practi-
cally have had no voice in the national
councils, as in the case of the South, has
engendered a naughty, autocratic mode
of thought and expression that they will
do we'll to get rid Of 1t is insulting,
mischevious and degrading to the people
at large. 1t should be recollected, that
the people still suppose that they govern
themselves, and if majority of the
white people do not desire their children
to associate with the blacks, where are
you going to get your force? As we
remarked not long since, we verify be.
lieve, that if this question were submit
ted to the people, in the form that the
local option law is voted upon in Cali
fornia, that in no single communit.
would there be majority for mixeC
schools, except where the blacks are in
majority. That would be fair test o
the views Of the people, and thougl
doubtless it would scarcely be possible
to pass upon the question in that form
still it would none the less clearly SHOW
the popular desire. So much for thu
force part of the argument. As to thu
results of the intimate association of tn,
children Of the two races, there is nj
doubt it would degrade one without rails
ing the other. That has been the expert
ence the world over. Besides the YER
men that advocate this dangerous eI
pertinent, would no more let their chi
dren attend school with a number Q
negroes than they would fly. and with
few honorable exceptions, they only sur
port the measure from the worst motives
viz: To pander to the desires OF an in
ferior race whose votes they desire T.
secure. Now for few words for MI
Enterprise. That paper says it must b
admitted "that the success of the colore,
brother as a juror, witness, voter, etc.
go far to strengthen Mr.. Curtis posi-
ton" In the course of tolerabl
close acquaintance with the behavior c
the blacks in those positions, We hav
seen much to approve and regret, in tn
two first at any rate; in the last we SUI
poae their principal merit in the e6timf