Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-03-16
Education and Population in the South.
In recent debate in Congress the
following statement was made:

Education and Population in the Souths
In recent debate in Congress the
Following statement was made:
The total amount raised BIZ taxation for
shown by the census report, in 1850. WAS s7S.-
5I4,ON or this amounL there was raised i'm
the slave holding States sssss. la The amount
Had the so"
srn Ssa5es raised as Large an amount per capita
four times what they actually did raise"
As this is one of those texts which
Republican papers are fond Of preach
Assuming the correctness of the figures
from the official returns of the last CEN
sus-what is there surprising about
them? The wonder is, not that the
Southern States failed to raise $50, 6e2,-
Z92 for educational purposes, but that
they were able to raise 1925, 1876.
Aside from the fact that the
South is far less wealthy than
North, and always has been, the
financial resources of the former
were drained to exhaustion by four
years disastrous war. The expendi-
lures of the North in this war were
scarcely felt by the people of that sec
ton, owing to the immense impetus
given to all kinds of business and the
rapid advance of values; while the bust
ness of the South was practically de-
stroyed by invading armies and rigid
blockade, and property of all kinds de-
prcciated in proportion. Worse than
the war was the Republican reconstruc-
ton which followed it; lasting in one
shape or another for ten years. What
the sword spared the carpet bag and
negro Governments stole or wasted, and
then saddled the States with debts
which the most strenuous efforts can
not pay for some time to come. Less
than six years have elarsed since the
Southern people escaped from the Re-
publican yoke and began to uild liter.
ally from the ground up" They have
worked hard, and he.success achieved
has been surprising; but all they have
done is but drop in the bucket COM
pared with what remains to do
Aside from the political and industrial
embarrassments produced by large
colored population continually stirred
up by Republican agitators, this class of
the community cannot, as a rIle, be
reached by taxation for the simpe rea-
son that the vast majority of them have
nothing to tax. Consequently the
burden falls Almost exclusively upon the
whites, who not only have to re tore
their shattered fortunes. but must paw
for keeping the Governmental machine
in motion. Instead, therefore, OF re-
preaching the South for devoting SO
lit e money to the maintenance of
schools, it would be more appropriate
and just to praise her for giving so
much The $4,000, 600 costs her more
self-sacrifice than $50. 900, 600 would
the North, and it is adding insult to in
jury to find fault with those who are do
| ne their lest in the face or tremendous
obstacles. In every Southern state the
cause o popu ar education is receiving
the attention its supreme Importance
deserves, and the fact that more public
schools have been established since the
Republicans were driven from power
there than ever before ought to close
Republican mouths on the sub 'ect. n
the money stolen and wasted during the
reconstru ton period had been saved.
these schools would be ten times more
numerous than they are.
In the same debate from which the
above extract is taken we find n mu h
more significant and suggestive para
graph:
THE census reveals the fact that in Soutb
Carolina the increase in the colored population
there in the last decade was forty-three Der
cent, while the increase of the white pop,la
ton was only thirty-ive per cent At that
rate SitS OF increase within twenty-five years the
completely overshadowed numerically There
are now two to one of the black race in South
Carolina. In the State of Mississippi they In
creased forty-six per cent in the last decade
while the increase of the whites was much less
The eolored population of Mississippi at the
years be double what 1t was in 1880"
So far, then. as the future prosperity
OF South Caro- ina and Mississippi is con-
cerned, an exodus of the colored popu.
Iation on large scale would be a great
blessing. The increase, however.
proves that the main argument of the
demagogues who favored wholesale emf
grafton had no foundation whatever:
because such increase shows-according
to well-known principle of political
economy--that the colored people must
be, on the whole, we'll treated and in
reasonably comfortable condition. FIT
were otherwise they would diminish in
numbers. But the question naturally
| arises, if the blacks in South Carolina and
Mississippi are increasing far more rap
idly than the whites. what is to become
OF these States in the not very remote
hereafter? There are two blacks to one
white in South Carolina now, and Mis-
sissippi seems to be travelling the same
road. 1t is not to be expected that the
majority will always consent to be con-
trolled by the minority. and we know
from bitter exr erience the inevitable
consequences OF negro domination.
The race thus far has shown itself utter
ly unfit for lf-government, to say moth
ing of the government of the whites:
yet rule which means ruin must soon.
er or later be set up unless the major
ity is willing to submit to the guidance
OF the minority. or some outlet is found
for the surplus black population. The
problem as it stands is a din cult one to
solve, and its ultimate solution is in
volved in serious doubt. and NAV be ac-
companied by grave dangers. Fanatics
and fools may regard the prospect of
Africanized states with complacencv.
but every honest and sensible patriot
must see in it nothing short of great
public calamity, which the Nation should
pray to be spared. 81. Louis Repub-
licGn.
=" should like to be excused from
jury duty, your HONOR said an old
gentleman in the Criminal Court. yes-
terday. What excuse have YOU to
ofer?'' asked Judge Phelps. "i'm not
in good health" "Have you a physi-
clan S certificate to that effectp" "No.
YOUR HOnOrp ssThau yor,,u box. -