The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-10-25
THE NEGRO IN WINSTON.
SHALL THE WHITE TAX PAYERS
EDUCATE HIM.

A Tax-Paying Democrat Doesn't Believe
fnDoing so When they Vote Against the
Best Interests of the White Taxpayers
Mr.. EDIToR:-It was my purpose
when | penned the communication
which you published last week, to
continue in that line and offer some
additional thoughts for reflection.
am MOI writing these articles tor
amusement or to do any one an inJu-
ry. My purpose is to see if the men
Of stability and the right thinking
men of this community cannot be in
duced to turn for one moment from
money getting to consider questions of
right affecting our white people. l
said in my article of last week that
the educational benefits which our
white tax payers had conferred on
the negroes had evoked not the least
gratitude. We people in Winston
are in the habit of expressing wonder
ut the country people for some preju-
dice which they seem to entertain to-
ward us. Did it ever occur to any
of our people that in our inconsiderate
efforts to elevate the negroes of our
town we have done SO partly at the
expense of the white people of this
county.
Before the passage of the Graded
School law the money raised by tax
alton in this city was placed in the
general school fund of the county, and
thus portion went to country chill
dren. This town of couls pays much
the argest sum for school purposes of
any portion of the county. But by
the Graded School law all the school
money raised from taxable property
of the town is turned over to the Gra-
ded School fund of the town and thu s
the negro Graded School gets por-
tion that would go to the school chill
dren in the country. Let US trans
pose ourselves as citizens, white citi
zens of the county, and apply the rule
to ourselves from that standpoint be-
fore we conclude that they are enter
tanning groundless prejudices against
us. And Notwithstanding all this
there are few il any negroes i'll this
town who would not rejoice at the
election of bad men on their ticket.
One would think that after twenty
five years of freedom and going to
school we would be able to form a
pretty good idea of the capacities of
a race Judged by that what are
the facts as to the negroes?
[ Venture the assertion that any
man who has observed in these mat
tiers will state that of the two classes
of negroes, those who have been born
free since emancip patton, and those who
were manumitted slaves, the slaves
are the better for honesty and integ-
rity. 1t may sound like too sweeping
an assertion, but / believe that five
:sixths OF the new class of the negroes
have been descending in the scale of
civilization and are absolutely desti
aute of character or integrity.
The observation of many shrewd
men is to the effect that education of
a negro makes him rascal. He
misconcieves the entire purpose and
object of an education 1t does not
educate him morally.
Let me ask the men who have OBJ
served or reflected upon this matter
if they have seen any Improvement
in the negroes of this town since the
Graded School has been started for
them. Do they have any more re-
gard for their contracts than they did
before? My experience with them
has been that no matter how solemn
and earnest their assurances may ] e,
they never regard their contract from
"a moral character or consideration,
and that the only assurance of per-
formance on their part is one of ex-
pediency entirely. | believe that all
the ,noney invested in negro educa-
ton in the South is that much wasted.
They never have and never will
appreciate the efforts aid expenditure
of money made by white men, unaid-
ed by an effort on their part, to edu-
cate them tor in every campaign in
volving the welfare of property and
interests of native white people, the
negro has been the relentless, igno-
rant and savage foe of the white peo-
pie and has sided with the worst ell
ement every campaign But for the
negro vote in this town, the white
Democratic tax payers of the county
would have no fear but that their
prefer. zee would prevail and honest
men and good government would be
an assured fact. If none but those
negroes who are entitled by law to
vote should have voice in the cleo
ton we could defeat them but the
trouble is that most of the negroes oi
this town will swear anything to be
able to register and vote.
White tax payers furnish them
the provisions to stay here and carry
electlons against them by fraudulent
voting. They rush to the Registrar
Office with ghoulish and savage glee
tlespise and coDtemn the advantages
bestowed upon them by white tax
PAYERS, and on election day march
with british insolence to the polls side
by side with their benefaciors and de
liberately destroy their votes and in
fiuence, and then deliberately walk
home and eat the bread and meal
humbly bestowed upon him by hi
meek and betrayed white benefactor
I have not stated facts that cannot be
estab Ished.
/ contend that the men of money
and influence in this community
should correct these evils. They a1s
not asserting the power and dignit,
of their position. If the white tar
=payers sh this town would assert theil
opinions and maintain their politica