Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-15

WI Hubilt NblUcu sCHOOlS tdCH, Out OI
tax largely gathered from the old
masters of the fathers and mothers of
the children attending them, and as
rule it has been most willingly paid.
Our State School Commissioner has
the universal respect of the colored
preachers and teachers all over the
State Gas they think and act so do the
masses of this people,, and of the
whites everywhere, because of his care
of this public charge. Aside from the
good feeling entertained, it is the best
of policy to educate and elevate the
colored race. 1t is cheaper to pay for
schooling than crime caused by igno-
rance. This is understood and being
promulgated. The thinking, reason
ing planter as well as Others who en-
ploy labor realize that intelligent labor
is better than ignorant labor. They
also realize that they will always have
the negroes among them, that it is best
for both races that they should stay in
the Southern States. proclaim it to
be the teaching of our leading South
ern statesmen that this people should
be given the same common-school ad-
vantages as are given to white chill
dren. If this people get into trouble
or need advice or are sick, they uni
versally 60 to their old masters and
mistresses feeling they will be helped.
Their surplus funds they give to them
to take care of; in word, in every
way they trust them, and while some
times they are met with coarse re-
buff, they are generally pretty apt to
get what they want. The truth is, the
former links which bound them to-
gether are often thought of, and a
sympathy aroused which could but
CRAFTY you all as it has me. | never
saw more patience, more generous
kindness, better appreciation of the
wants of those needing assistance than
! have seen exhibited by the whites of
the South towards the colored people
Northern people do not know how to
get along with the blacks of the South !;
they have not the patience to put up
with their thoughtless, inefficient,
thriftless ways. / have become con-
vinced they are best off in the hands
of their old owners,
No Southern gentleman or lady
hesitates 10 speak to them when they
are recognized by them, and general
ly kind word is returned. The war
left very much of the South desolate
waste. Great armies had marched
over the country, plantation fences,
gin-boLses and cotton-gins, family res
licences, as well as many of the old
slave tenementhouses, were, with vii
lages and cities, left in ruins, and the
dependent, truly helpless. ignorant
and generally homeless colored race
in the first days of their liberty were
in a frightful condition. Many for a
time followed the Union Army; others
fell into the hands of newcomers, de-
signing men, and were scattered like
leaves before the fall winds. Those
who remained with their old masters,
like them were without provisions.
Cattle, sheep and hogs had been taken
to supply the demands of the armies.
They were also without money, and
had they had it for time they could
not have procured the common com
forts of life. Still they by untold and
many laughable but commendable
dodges kept their heads above water.
II was about the year 1872 that the
present system of working this people
was generally adopted by the land
owners. Briefly this is done on one of
three different plans, viz. : One mule
and food for it, with working tools, a
small house and certain number OF
acres of land are given to a family,
with the understanding that one-half
of the cotton, one-half of the corn, and
whatever else raised, except on the
acre garden patch, belongs to the
landlord. Where the colored man
owns everything save the land, and
feeds his own mule, then one-third Of
everything raised is the landlord 5
part. Others hire certain number
of hands and supply them weekly with
ratiops of meal, meat, flour and mo-
lasses, and pay them on an average
$40 per month. Under these systems
the best of feeling has been developed,
and it is to the interest of the employ
er to deal justly, and of the laborer to
work faithfully. There certainly has
been, and is, growing feeling of mu-
tuaI interest. IL is very rare that
marked injustice is done at this time
by either party. When tramps and
th,se who had everything TO gain and
nothing to lose had possession of leased
ground, or a large proportion of the
planting lands of the South, | heard OF
much injustice having been done to
the poor ignorant blacks.
On the 1st Of last January the col.
ored peopIe owned in Georgia 502, 900