The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-25
HI THE NEGROES OF THE
SOUTH VOTE THE DEM
CRATIC TICKET

ii s. EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES, THOUGH
-REPUBLICANs STOLE HIS SCHOOL MONEYS
s--ss.522. CoLoRED VOTERS WHO OWN
REAL ESTATE.
To the Editor of the N. Y World:
ISiY: take pleasure 10 complying with
your request 10 furnish for publication
certain facts which | referred 20 in an in
terview with your reporter relative to the
present condition of the colored man In
Georgia under Democratic rule. As long
as the institution of African slavery existed
in the South public policy dictated that the
slave should not become the owner of pro-
perry and that he should not enjoy the
full advantages of education. This policy
grew out of the necessity of our situation,
not out of any hostility to the colored peo-
pie as race. / find many intelligent peo-
pie at the North who believe that this
policy still continues. But there never
was q greater mistake. With the aboii-
ton of slavery the reasons for the policy
ceased, and the reason eeasing. the policy
ceased with it, When the negro became
a voter it at once became our interest that
he should become al intelligent voter. and
in devising a system of public education
equal facilities were offered to both races.
(See BET of the Legislature of Georgia,
approved August %, 1872 J Our
people we're in an impoverished condition
According to the estimate of the School
Commissioner of Georgia the wealth of
the South in 1870 was only three -ftths of
what 1t was in 1850, and nearly one third
of our population consisted of recently
manumitted slaves. owing no taxable pro-
perty,l In Georgia the proportion was
greater. Yet In the face of these obsts-
Giles we have accomplished great results
in the education of the colored people. 1u
1878 there were enrolled ia our public
schools, coiored scholars. 1875; in 1871,
AZ, 374; in 1875, Sc. 35S: in 1876. 57.897.
and ia 1877, 50. $3.50. take. these figures
ffom che School Commissioner report of
1873. thipk this is the last report
published. The next report will appear iB
the fall of this year. But no intelligent
reader can fail to notice the rapid and
steady increase in the number Of colored
pupils With our limited resources it
must be admitted that the results are sur
prisipg and could only be accomplished By
a people willing aud anxious that tbs
coiore6 race among them should receive
all the advantages and improVementsl
which can be derived from education.
Since the Democrats have been in power
the funds appropriated to school purposes
have been sacredly applied tothese Objects
But sach was not the history OF the Re-
publican Legislature elected under the
Reconstruction acts: Ia 1870 they took
from the Treasury and applied to general
purposes $242, O27 62 which belonged to
the school fund. (See Governor Smiths
message, 1872. In Georgia we have q
colored university, located st Atlanta,
which receives from the state the same
amount annually which is appropriated to
the white university. [ leave this part
of the subject without further comment,
aud now invite your attention to che ques-
ton of property.
No one is allowed to vote in Georgia
who has not reached he prescribed age
and paid his taxes. By the Com ptroller-
Generals report of 1879 we had S8,522
colored polls. and Ccco11lng to returns
made by themselves under oath TO the tax
receivers of their respective counties they
owned Sal, I99 acres of laed. This Is an
average of more than 10 acres TO each
colored poll 10 the state, When you eK
anime the Compt-0ller's report for q
series of years you again discover steady
and rapid increase in the acquisition of
land, In 1874 the colored population in
Georgia returned to taxation 338. 769
acres acres: in 1875, 500 ,65S; 10 1876.
457, 635; in 1877, 458, 999; 10 1873. sol 800
and IN 1879, 54I.199. These figures
abundsntly prove that uudcr Democratic
rule in Georgia-the southern state Civ
ing the largest Democratic majorlties -
the colored race is rapidly advancing both
in the acquisition of knowledge and wealth,
IL has been the policy OF our people to)
foster the spirit of industry of which this
increase in the acquisition of land 10 30
striking manifestation. In ante beilum
Concluded on next pase.1