Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-06
Three Points Gained.

L
The Providence tRhode Island) Jour
| nal deyotes considerable space to the
statistics Of Richmond as presented in
| the Dispatch of the LIST Of January.
After admitting that the great ma
iority of the people of the North know
only vaguely the condition of the
South and this admission is point
gained--it says, in commenting upon
the Dispatch's religious table:
"There are some figures given in de-
tail. at which one is, at first blush, stag
gered. AS for instance, we find colored
churches credited with contributions of
| from two to six thousand dollars each;
and with three, four, and five, and
seven hundred Sunday-school scholars
each.''
This should certainly satisfy the
Journal that the man and the brother is
not down-trodden and kept upon starya-
ton wages.
The Journal then turns its attention
to our school statistics, gives the figures
showing that there are more white
scholars in the public schools than
colored scholars, cites the percentage
obtained by the pupils at the final ex-
animation, and adds
g 1t is only apparent--we state it as
fact, and not as criticism-that the
number of teachers for the white chill
drcn is largely greater in proportion
than for the colored children. This may
perhaps be accounted for in part by the
age and attainments of the colored chill
dren, and by their not attending as regu-
larly as the white children. Again, it
appears that up to the point so far
reached there is no substantial difference
in the capacity and industry of the two
races. because with the lesser num-
Der Of teachers in the colored schools,
and the presumably more moderate
qualifications of the colored teachers,
the slight deficiency in the colored at
tanments can easily be accounted for.
We do not find any statement showing
the relative amount Of money spent
upon the two races in proportion to
numbers"
Barring the Journals well-known
theory about the mental capacity Of the
negro, which is injected into the above
paragraph, that paragraph is, on the
whole, another point gained. 1t shows,
with the first quotation we make from
our Providence contemporary, that we
have accomplished something by ham
mering away at it. We have sue
ceeded in convincing it that the ne
gro has some rights that the white
man Of the South respectable right
to worship God after the dictates of
his conscience, the right to make money
and spend it as he may choose, and the
right to get an education at the expense
chiefly of the white taxpayer. Yet, as
usual, the Journal yells before it is
hurt. When it says 1--WE do not find
any statement showing the relative
amount Of money spent upon the
races in proportion to numbers, it inti-
mates suspicion that the negro
is discriminated against. Well, the
Journal is letting itself down easily and
we will not quarrel with it for that. II
has taken several terrible "draps"
since we first knew it, and must nstu-
rally be little sore. But for fear its inn
Piled suspicion might mislead others,
we would say that in the matter of
school-money white andcolored are on an
absolute equality in respect to benfits.
The Joanaisays "We are very glad to
have these statistics" That is third
point gained, and encourages us to hope
that before the first Of next January we
will have convinced the Journal of the
fact that negro can vote as he chooses
in the South without mourning the risk
Of having his brains--whieh the white
people are taxed to cultiyate--scsttered
around promiscuously through the in
strumentality ofs doublc-barrclled shot
gun.