The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-19
THE STATE PRESS.
WHAT THE VIRGINIA DEMOCRATIt
PAPERS HAVE TO SAY.
Tho Separate school Systems Again.

Inc plan Tor separate scuooi .. s.1n'
the white and colored citizens OF NHginia
Is one that will not down and that must pe
discussed. Strange to say, the POSITIONS Oh
political parties on the question nave peen
reversed in the most unexpected manner.
The Democratic party that paws the DUN
Of the taxes OF the State, and thereby pears
the heaviest end OF the tax for supporting
the schools, favors giving the colored peo-
pie the exclusive control OF their own
schools and half OF the hundreds OF thou-
sands OF dollars spent annually on euuca-
ton to run them with. The Coaiitlon
party, which has received ut the polis the
support OF the coored citizens Tor some
years past, says Il does not propose 10 per-
nit them to have control OF their own
schools. Let us look at the position taken
by the two political organizations as 1t
affects both the white and the colored mas.
The Democrats hold that there must be
no mixed schools; there must be no mixed
school boards; that the colored people OF
Virginia are capable OF taking charge OF
their own schools, and that by their taxing
charge Of them the last cause OF dissension
between the two races in Virginia will be
removed. The Democrats want peace
among all the people OF the State.
The Coalitlonists want the control OF the
schools i'm their own hands, and in iusti-
fication OF that they plead that the colored
man is not vet fitted to take charge OF
them: yet they profess Willingness to
give them representation " on the school
boards. They want control OF the schools
whether there Is peace or not.
1t would be a most desirable thing for
the colored citizens il they could look at
tho two PROPOSITIONS with minds Invested
OF political bias and an eye single to the
welfare of their race and the white race.
In the first place it is their only mode OF
getting representation on school boards.
They NAV argue that the Coalitionists
will have the power and will give them
the denied representation. That Is a mis-
take. The Coalitions are in power
no,o-ful and absolute power, and yet
they are not appointing any negroes on
school boards. Governor Cameron tried
that once, but it excited such an!mosity
and cutlery that he has never attempted 1t
since. Though there have been appoint
ed one or more school boards since then,
no black man had q place on them. a
board was appointed for Staunton, where
four fifths of the Coalition vote pollcd Is
colored, and yet not colored mans name
appearcd among the members OF the Board.
The colored man will naturally inquire.
WHY was this oversight: 1t was not an
oversight. IL was simply because persist
ence in that course would have been so
rcpugnant to the white element in the &C.
alition party that il could not have carried
another election before the people. So the
coIored man will see that he is not likely
TO get representation on the school boards
whether the Coalition party succeeds or
fails.
Why should the negro, then. be told that
there will? Simply to keep up AN agita-
ton and hurtiul excitement between the
races by which the colored race may be
deceived into holding more closely to the
Coalition. II is perfectly true that the
Coalition leaders would not hesitate to
appoint mixed boards il il were a policy
that would win, and quite rs true that
they would accept mixed schools il they
were necessary to victory; for what do
they care about mixed schOOlS-it is not
their children that go TO the common
schools, but the children OF the
people at large. But il is the people at
large that they are afraid OF. 1t is claimed
by the Coalition. in opposing the Demo
cratic plan, that the cOlorcd people are not
yet ready TO take charge OF their own
school system. This is a strange argyll
ment. A race capable OF furnishing col
ored trustees to school boards to vote ac-
cordng to their judgment in all matters
affecting the education OF white children,
even to selecting for them the very books
they shall study, and yet not capable OF
furnishing trustees for schools OF their
own race!
We are Glad to see this matter attracting
the attention OF the cOlored people. whether
for OF against the separate system. We
are glad to see them expressing their opin-
ions. We have great confidence in their
thinking the matter over. Some o. them
find il hard to believe that any proposition
from the Democratic party can really be
for their benefit. They are something like
some Of the white men IN Virginia were
in 1SCG-wanted to live and die under mil
i.ary rule rather than accept the result
OF the Committee OF Mines plan. But
all that will wear off. The whites and
blacks of Virginia are obliged to live
in the same State; let them patri0ticalIy
avoid all causes OF irritation and disSen-
sion. The separate school plan reDlOreS
| the last source Of irritation, and 1t j. some
thing that one pdrtp or the other will give
the colored people. If the Coaitionists
refuse to give it, then the Democracy will
give it. As to its popularity at the polls,
it will get thousands Of votes from the col
ored people next November; but il it did
not get twenty such votes in the State, we
should as heartily advocate it, believing it
to be in the interest OF the peace and pros
perity Of both races in Virginia.