Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-10-06
WY THE NEGROES vote
THE DEMOCRA TIC
TICKET.
ms EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES, THOUGH
REPUBLICANS STOLE MS SCHOOL MON
EYs-SS522 cOLoRED VOTERS WHO
OWN REAL ESTATE.

to in an interview with your reporter
relative to the present condition Of the
colored man in Georgia under Demo.
cratic rule. As long as tho institution
of African slavery existed in the South
public policy dictated that the slave
should not become tho owner Of prop
erty 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 people as race, ] find
many intelligent people at the North
who believe that this policy still con-
tnues. But there never was a greater
mistake. With the abolition of slavery
the reasons for the policy ceased, and
the reason ceasing, >the policy ceased
with it, When the negro became a
voter it at once became our interest
that he should become an intelligent
voter, aud in devising system of
public education equal facilities were
offered to both races (Sce act Of the
Legislature Of Georgia, approved Au.
gust %, 1922 Our people were in
an impoverished condition, Accord.
ing to the estimate OF the School Com
missioner of Georgia the wealth of the
South in 1870 was only three-ffths of
what it was in 1860, and nearly one
third Of our population consisted of
recently manumitted slaves, owning
no taxable property. In Georgia the
proportion was greater Yet in the
face of these obstacles we have accom-
plished great results in the education
OF the colored people, In 1873 there
were enrolled in our public schools,
colored scholars, l9,755; in 1874, 49,
374; in 1875, 50,35s; in 1876, 81, 1857,
and in 1877, 62,33O. | take these fig.
ures from the School Commissioners
report Ct 1878. / think this is the
last report published. The next re-
port will appear in the Fall Of this
year. But no intelligent reader can
fail to notice the rapid and steady in.
crease in the number Of colored pupils.
With our limited resources IL must be
admitted that the results are surpris-
ing and could only be accomplished by
a people willing and anxious that the
colored race among them should re-
ceive all the advantages and improve
ments which can be derived from edu.
cation. Since the Democrats have been
in power the funds appropriated TO
school purposes have been sacrodIy
applied to these objects. But such
was not the history of the Republican
Legislature elected under the Recon
struction acts, In 1870 they took
from the Treasury and applied to gen.
oral purposes s242,027.62 which be
longed to the school fund (See Gov.
ernor Smiths message, 1879, In Geor.
gia we have a colored university, lora.
ted at 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, and
now invite your attention to the ques-
ton of property,
No one is allowed to vote in Geor-
gia who has not reached the prescrib.
cd age and paid his taxes. By the
Comptroller Generals report of 1879
we had ss,522 colored polls, and ac-
cording to returns made by themselves
under oath to the tax receivers of their
respective counties they owned jI1,
100 acres Of land. This is an average
Of more than G 1-10 acres to each col
ored poll in the State. When you ex.
anime the Comptrollor's report for a
series Of years you again discover a
steady and rapid increase in the ac-
QUESTION of land. In 1874 the colored
population in Georgia returned to tax.
alton 33s, 100 acres in 1875, 1896, ,65S /;
in 1876, 457, ,635 in 1877, 1899; IN
1873, sol $50, and in 1879, 1899.
These figures abuhdantly prove that
under Democratic rule in Georgia
the Southern State giving the largest
Democratic majorities - the colored
race is rapidly advancing both in the
acquisition Of knowledge and wealth.
1t has been the policy of our people to
foster tho spirit of industry Of which
this increase in the acquisition OF land
is 80 striking u manifestation. In ante.
bellum days the large planter usually
carried bis cotton for sale to the larger
cities. But at the close of the war
the largo plantations were greatly re-
ducod in value and the number of small
farmers increased Their produce was
usually disposed Of in the county
towns, which now began to grow in
wealth and importance. The village
merchant soon began to purchase for
the more industrious negroes small
tracts OF land and lben to stock them.
The merchant retained the title in
himself as security until the negro had
paid the debt, when the merchant
transferred the title to him The ne.
gro thus became the owner Of a small
farm, and the merchant acquired, in
addition to the interest on bis advance,
a good and reliable customer for the
future. Examples Of this kind can be
found all over Georgia. know Of one
village merchant in a single county
who has in'this way enabled negroes
10 purchase IN that county nearly il
not quite 10000 acres of land. The
causes which have brought about these
results in Georgia have operated else.
where throughout the South, and
doubtless with the same consequences,
OF course there were disorders at
tendant upon so radical a revolution
as the transformation Of our former