The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-21
raderal Aid to Education.

the subject o. national aid to education,
says:
"Let us reason together. 1t Is proposed
to bestow upon the South some hundred
millions OF dollars, more or less, OF the
money taken by taxation from the people
OF the United States. and the South, or, at
any rate. the Dispatch, says that 1t must
be given without any-the least-restric-
ton: that Is 10 say, in the matter OF ad-
ministration. The schools OF the Soutn
are TO be under State control. No Federal
official is to have any voice in their super.
vision. nor any right to say that the coiored
race shall be cared for in the business Oh
education, either in proportion to their
numbers or their capacity for mental ad-
vancement. In short, the country Is 10
give the money and trust TO the South 10
make good use OF IL.
&c submit that this is not according TO
business principles. When the Govern
ment OF the United States builds custom
house In Rhode Island, il does not send
lump sum OF money TO the Governor or
the Legislature. and say: Build your
clIstom-house 10 suit yourselves The
Journal has always anticipated the OBJ
yious difficulties. Rhode Island would not
give I'D her right to educate her own chill
dren for any sum the Government could
offer. On the other hand. she does not eX-
pect the nation TO bestoW upon her the
means OF education without some super
vision OF the use thereof. That which the
Journal has asked, so far without answer,
il, How the State is TO accept Federal aid
without rclnquishing rights vital TO the
sovereignty OF the State? On the one hand
the question is laid aside rs irrelevant; on
the other it is said there shall be no issue
made; the South will not yield to the au-
thority Of the General Government in any
form or to any degree.
ut Is to be said that the doctrine OF the
Dispatch is ineligible, while that OF the
Boston Transcript, which led to this dis
cusSion, Is simply vague. ilimitable in APP
plication. and as stated. wholly lnequitable.
1t is not wise nor Just TO say, without more,
that the North should give to the South
everything for generation to come
The Dispatch does the Journal the justice
to say that it is candid 1t is; and II IL
not in the alleged category OF newspapers
advocating national system OF edLca-
ton i'm which teachers and parents would
be held subservient to the dictates OF the
Administration at Washington And yet
il desires to see the colored race in the
South educated by the aid of the Federal
1t does not wink ont OF sight
the fact that when Congress makes our
laws OF marriage and divorce, and has ati-
thority over the schools. even in any mea-
sure, the old-iashioned. legitimate. and
doctrine of State rights will
have been largely impeached and abro-
gated"
With all our heart we echo the senti-
ment, "Let us reason together" especially
since the dissipation OF one little heresy OF
the Journal will, we think, bring it in per-
feet accord with us. As 10 what the Jour
nal says OF its own position, we have never
placed it in the category of the papers adj
vocating ga national system Of education
in which teachers and parents would be
held subseryiont to the dictates OF the Adj
mt Washington" On the con-
trary. we have recognized as most healthy
sign that it has shown itself fully alive to
the dangers Of vesting any such power IN
the Federal authorities whenever it has
discussed the subject. In guarding the
rights Of the States
against Federal encroachment the Jour
nal is doing the whole country a
service. It's view is a broad and liberal one
in this matter certainly, and it is not open
to the charge OF being influenced by parti-
san motives. AS to the DiSpatciPS posi-
ton, 1t also states that candidly and fairly
according to the lights before it. There is
only one thing in all it says--viz., the little
hercsy mentioned-to which we can take
and that proceeds, il our contcm-
porary will pardon us for saying so, from
ignorance.
The Journals stumbing-block is the ne
gro. The cause Of its difficulty is the
idea that in order that the negro shall be
fairly treated and get his rights there shall
be Federal supervision. This is the pre-
mise from which it argues that there must
be Federal supervision, and, consequently,
and abrogation Of the consti-
tutional doctrine OF State rights. The an
swer TO this is that the Journals premise
is moi correct. The record Of the admins
tration OF the public-school system IN the
South shows this TO be fact. The State
public-school funds ere by constitutional
provision distributed for the education Of
white and colored in proportion TO school
population. On this line OF argument,
then, the Journals premise is disposed
OF, and that being the case. It goes without
saying that its conclusions fall to the
ground. 1t is straining a point to sup
pose that the States would thus
use their own educational funds,
which are derived mainly from
tax upon the property Of the whites, and
misapply any funds that might be appro-
priated 10y the Federal Government out of
accumulaiions in the treasury from all
sources.
But to take another and broader view
Of the subject, the South cannot afford
not to educate the negro. He is with
us. and he is going to stay with US. lie
has every legal right that white man has.
He is citizen, and the only way to make
him good citizen is to elevate him by
education. AS mere matter Of political
policy, we must meet the issue. The in
terest OF the JouT71d! in the negro is senti-
mental. With all due respect 10 our con-
temporary, it knows nothing about him.
AS a political factor in Rhode Island
the negro is nil. 1t makes very little
difference whether he be 4 good or bad
citizen when the matter is viewed from
that standpoint. With the South the in
terest in him is both practical and senti-
mental. and self-protection demands that
he should be so enlightened as TO be able
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