Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-08-24
THE COLORED VOTERS AND
THE COALITION.

Those colored voters who oppose their
own race having exclusive control Of their
own schools and the expenditure OF the
money to conduct them, are careful at the
same time to say that their race wants
representation on the school boards
They claim that the Coalition will give
them this. II they persist in this claim
they are only aiding the Coalition leaders
to deceive their race. The Coalition lead
ers dare not give them representation;
they are afraid of the whites in their own
party. Some months ago Gov. Cameron
appointed two colored men. and there he
stopped. Since that appointment was
made the Staunton school Board has been
appointed. In Staunton there are 800
colored Coalitionists to 100 white, and not
a colored man on the Board. On Satur-
day last the County School Trustees, eigh-
teen in number. were elected. There are
in Augusta county about 900 colored Goa
lition voters to 700 white. Not a single
colored man was elected Trustee by the
County Board. The Coalition not only
does not propose to give the colored peo-
pie tie exclusive control of their school
system but it does not propose to give
them any. In short it proposes to hold
them in the old condition of political
servitude by retaining the power and the
money in its own hands-to act as rein
on the darker horse and keep him close to
the pole when an election comes around.
AS a contrast to this mode the Democ-
racy makes no promises of representa-
ton" on school boards; no professions of
anything. but, instead, a business PROPOSE
tion made in the interest of the Dhites and
the blacks that the latter shall take their
own schools and the money with them
and run them themselves.
The argument that the proposition
made by the Democrats is scheme to
catch colored votes is the weakest objec.
ton we have yet seen made to the plan.
How will the colored man ever advance
any further in Virginia than he is now if
he does not vote for candidates who are
pledged to give him priyileges9 What
does he care whether the benefit comes
from the Republican, Democratic, Green
back or Coalition parties? so it is q sub
stantial benefit to his race and the Com
monwealth at the same time. 1t is only
another form Of slavery, il he is to be
owned by set of politicians. This ap-
prehension of trick" by the Democracy
is merely the result of not knowing the
political situation. There can be no trick.
If the Democrats carry the legislature
they will as certainly pass the separate
school bill as the sun shines, and if Gov.
Cameron does veto it the colored people
will well know who did it and why it
was done. The whole question is just
this: Whether the colored people will al
low their suspicious and political prejudi-
ces to prevent their accepting a plan from
which they have all to gain and nothing
to lose.
This election may be that desirable tide
in which the Virginia colored men may
join their race in other States in asserting
and maintaining political independence.
1t may be the time when. by exercising
wisdom and following the example Of
the whites, they will no longer be bound
to any one party but be open to all politi-
cal parties that offer to them substantial
advantages. We say this time may BIZ
near at hand. If it is, then the opportu-
nifty is here. If the whites divided on the
debt question the blacks may well seize
the issue of separate education to procure
for themselves the utmost liberty CT edu-
cation. 1t is no longer question OF. be-
ing true to their race by always voting
one way and solidly; it is question of be-
ing true to that race by securing to it
every advantage that is within the reach
of the ballot box.