The Dawson journal., 1884-01-03
An Intelligent Negro.

Augusta High School (colored), in
al interview with reporter of the
Chronicle, gives evidence of more
than the usual intelligence and good
sense to be found amongst those who
aspire to lead the negro race. Wright
did not attend the negro convention
IN Atlanta; why, he relates as fol-
lows: Il feared that q convention
held in accordance with the call issu-
ed by the Rev. w. j. White would
rather damage than help the cause
OF education for our people My
fears wore based particularly upon
the fact that an attempt would be
made at this convention 70 connect
'nr schools too intimately with polit-
ical organizing aud educational clubs,
which would virtually take charge of
the politics of the colored people.
feared that such course would form
a two edged sword; that is, that the
white taxpayers might eonstrue our
object as boing an organized purpose
to get possession Of the few counties
IN which the colored vote has a nu
merous majority. / felt, too. that
the call was little too harsh and
irritating to the opposite race, in
view of the poverty and helplessness
of our people. | considered a great
deal of the 'call" political clap-trap.
Such as ave (the negro) have
reached crisis in our history that
demands at cur hands prompt and
decisive action" and "let the colored
men of Georgia from the mountains
to the seaboard, arise and unite be-
fore it be forever too late" Such stuff
seemed to me'to be too demagogical
to base a purely educational move
ment upon. Again, / considered
the call too much of q wholesale ar.
raignment of the public school ad-
ministration. Being a supporter and
employs of the present school admin
istration, I thought it discousteous to
iudorse SO savage an arraigEment
without resigning."
Having thus tersely and yigor-
ouslyloutlined the Objectionable feat
ures Of the convention, Wright ex-
presses himself briefly upon the
school system as it exists.
Il must thoroughly favor any pure
ly educational movement, for l have
never held any Office save that of a
teacher. But my extensive acquain-
tance with both The colored and
white teachers Of the State, leads me
TO feel that there was never time
in the history of Georgia when the
education of the colored people was
considered with greater favor among
the white people of this state than
to-day. In my opinion ,much of the
deficiency in our public system is
due more to a lack of money and
the ability to raise it, than it is to
and plepondering prejudice among
the white people against our educa-
ton or the public school system.
That there are opponents to our ed
ucation, am perfectly aware, Dut 1
don't propose to fix my eye upon my
enemies and give the blind side to my
friends, being more mindful Of the
evil than thankful for the good.'
II is sincerely to be regretted that
the negro race has no. followed the
leadership of such men as this, in
stead of tracking after the Carriers,
Pledgers and the Holseys, whose ul-
innate aim is the advancement of
personal ends, and whose ideas are
bound to clash with the white mans
resolution as 10 the goAernmenr of
this State, in manner most disas-
trous TO the negro.
As to the tendency Of the late con
yealion we have already written,
prophesying the result, if a conflict is
forced in a political campaign. Il
may be well enough now to consider
briefly what claims from our coo,ed
wards remain unsatisfed at tie
hands of the State. And ior the
purpose of demonstrating what has
been done for him, we need nothing
beyond the figures furnished IN the
report of our School Commissioner
1t appears that the negro owns about
S6,300,000 worth of taxable property
in the State, the total amount of
wlich is about 1886, 100000. Ninety
five thousand negro children attend
the public schools If all the tax
levied upon the property Of negroes
by this State, namely, $4,000, were