Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-15
TRUTH ABOUT THE SOUTH.
What A Republican Physician who has
uyed I'm Georgia for Twelve Years
has seen and Knows.
.,.,roR uIit's STORY OF NEGRO THRIFT AND
PROSPERITY UNDER DEMOCRATIC
RULE FULLY CONFIRMED.

Yfum the " - "
DR. William Ii. White, of Atlanta,
Ga recently visited his birthplace at
cherry Valley, in Otsego county, in
his State, and at the published re-
NESTS of it's townsmen in both parties
Gaye them in Union Hall what he
salled "A Talk About the South and
Southern people" Mr.. Kenneth G.
White who was the predecessor of
Mr. John Davenport as Clerk of the
United States Circuit Court, is broth
er Of DIR. White and has sent to the
World full report of the talk" from
which to select interesting passages.
DR. White soon after his medical edu-
cation 10 this State was ompleted
settled in Iowa. There he became a
Republiean and was the first surgeon
onpointed from that State for service
during the civil war. When peace
returned DIR. White determined to re-
main in the South, With what results
and present views he himself now tells:
Ny FRIENDS After the close of
the civil war a soldier on the Northern
side was impelled by considerations of
health to seek in the South home.
entertained the views of the domi-
nant party of the North | carried
with me the ideas, habits and manners
of an average, typical Northerner. |
went South with strong prejudices,
but at the same time with the resolve
to Judge fairly and to study with crit
ical impartiality the people, to live as
! had lived, with respect for law, with
courtesy to neighbor, and with inde-
pendent sincerity and freedom of con-
yction. ! did not intend tn play the
part of selfappointed pharisaical re-
former or malicious marplot; nor did
! 20 as a political adventurer, seeking
on the strife of races and in the chaotic
wake of unsuccessful revolution those
twin objects of the bummers desire,
pelf and preferment. | went as a
simple citizen to make my home there.
After fourteen years of thorough ming
linz with all CLASSES of Southern So
cetv, and experience of every varied
phase of Southern life, after an ac-
quaintance with a considerable mum.
Der of the leading men of the South
as we'll rs with the masses of the peo-
pie, it is my privilege to tell my old
friends what | have learned and the
Judgment at which | have arrived in
regard TO the misunderstood sunny
South The most perplexing prob
lem connected with the Southern pol
ity is the relation of the white and
black races.
went South conceiving that there
must be more or less of the spirit of
the old masters towards their former
slaves that would require the repre-
sentative hand of power to regulate
that the changed relations of the races
had all inspiration of white tyranny
that was the inexorable vestige of
slave domination. The truth has been
a revelation TO me, working revolu-
ton of belief that arrays Inc in con-
trast with my erroneous suppositions.
Underlying all the massive miscon-
ceptions growing directly from the
persistent perversion of the truth for
political purposes is the great domi-
nant reality that the Southern people
are warmly devoted to the genuine
welfare of the blacks. This is broad,
a sweeping, aye, startling assertion,
but if fail to prove il by irresistible
testimony, then reject and deDounce
my conclusions. shall give you the
logic of facts to contemplate. My
talk will be on the past and present
condition of and outlook for the color
ed people of the South, with thoughts
as to the hopes and social and politi-
cal relations of the whites.
During the first State administra-
tion in Georgia after the war, there
were 6,654 colored children enrolled
on the schools reports then published,
but regret to have to add that not a
dollar of the school fund raised was
used for their advantage. The first
year after a change in the administra-
ton Of State affairs, or when the old
citizens of the State became its rulers,
1880 colored children we're schooled,
and received their pro-rata share OF
the S260,000 school fund raised. The
number of colored children educated
IN 1875 was J0,35S; in 1876, 59,9S7 ;
IN 1877, 62.377. Last year the mum.
ber was 1866. This year the School
Commissioner tells me the number
will reach 10000, with large in.
creased school fund. There we're | ,457
colored schools, between 400 and SOC
OF which were taught by colored teach
ers-capable men and women. Oi
our State school fund, s411 900, the
eolored and white teachers Of colored
children received their pro-rata, OF
$4,000. AS you see, the number Of
colored children attending the public
schools has staadiIv and raDidly in.