The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-03-05
The National Aid for Education.

We devote much Of our space this
week to the publication of the remarks
of the Hon. A. Coward, and tho llon.
Hugh S. Thompson, before the Congress
sional Committees on Education. We
know that our readers will thank US for
furnishing them tho opportunity to lead
their speeches, which contains 80 much
information on so very important sub
ject az that of education. These gentle
show that orer omc-third Of all our ta1ss
90 for educational purposes, and 1t is
fair to presume that two.thirds OF thai
enormous amount 90 TO educate a class VI
people who pay very little into the treas
ury.
From tho action Of the Southern politi-
ci,ns it would seem to be a tilt between
each other to see who can spend moro
money in tho education Of the colored
people, and it is reasonably fair to pre-
sumed that if Charles Sumner and other
leading lights were alive to-day they
would feel ashamed Of themselves for
their GOODNESS and Indifference to the
welfare Of the colored uian.
At one time wo favored \ liberal sys-
ON Of education for theso people, but Al
OK perience Of fourteen or fifteen years Mt
that work has proved the error OF Tho
course. at first, W. thought by a liberal
and generous course to that race hat we
would gain their friendship and goodwill
and that they would ut least divide their
atfe ,tion between the State and National
Governments, and We rs his nciShbor,
would receive his personal friendship n
goodwill. But we arc thoroughly con-
WINGED of the folly OF any such Il course.
In no single instance has any c"nSldera-
bic number Of negroes showed tho
least gratitude to their white neigh
bors because ofthis or any other kindness,
but the greatest crowds of them can al
ways be depended on to swear anything
that they may think will be detrimental
to our political interests, and it would
seem a little singular that at the very
moment these distinguished representa-
tives of the different Southern States
were exercising their utmost power in
their behalf, that carloads of these people
were then in the city OF Washington
anxious to swear to anything which
would prejudice our people.
We yield to no man in admiration tor
G. vernon Thompson or Col. Coward, but
they are, in our opinion, laboring under
a mistaken notion as to the public senti-
ment of a majority of the white people Of
South Carolina. Governor Thompson Is
an enthusiast OH the subject of education,
and his zeal for that cause has perhaps
led him to think more of the desirable
ness of attaining the end, than of the
hardships which It would necessarily en-
tail upon his own men and brethren.
Our position Is thiss Treat the negro
fair and right in every business transac-
ton ; pay him every cent that we may
owe Inn and when he is tuken into
Court, We believe that u higher civili-
cation should prompt us to be scrnpu-
lousy fair and just to him. And we con-
tend that, AZ no has been a freeman for
twenty years, that he ought to take care
of himself; that it is none of our bust
ness to look after him-(we will have
enough, to do to attend to u " a~ffairs)
-und that he should get his education
just as his white neighbor does, by honest
toll. If education fits a man for higher
and better places In life, it lisa property
which he should get in the same way he
gets his boots-by honest toll.
The speeches of Col. Coward and Gov
ernor Thompson show most plainly the
monstrous outrage which is being per-
petrated on Il people IN the way of tax
alton. Just think of it. Poor little South
Carolina pays annually halt a million
doltars for educational purposcs-two-
thirds Of which go to the education of a
people who pay almost no taxes.
But the strongest part of the whole pro-
ceeding is that after appropriating aquar-
ter Of million Of dollars to educate the
negroes without the least sign of a pro-
test, there are numbers of our people who
oppose the appropriation of twenty or
thirty thousand dollars for the higher ed
ucation of the people who pay this enor
nous tax for negro education.