Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-04
EDUCATION in DIXIE.


EDUCATION IN DIXIE.
THE GREAT COLOR PROBLEM OF THE
SOUTH TACKLED.
State Rights and Privileges IL That PartIcu.
lara Plea for the Black Mans Ele-
walton and Protection-No Ex-
odus Either Wise or
Desirable.
The interest of the general Government
in the education Of the people found an
early expression, not only in the thoughtful,
and sometimes warning utterances of our
ablest statesmen, but in liberal appropria-
tions from the common resources for the
support of education in the new States. No
one will deny that it is Of the gravest ma
tional concern that those who hold the ulti-
mate control of all public affairs should
have the necessary intelligence wisely to
direct and determine them. National aid
to education has heretofore taken the form
of land grants, and, in that form the consti-
tutional power of Congress, to promote the
education OF the people is not seriously
questioned. I do not think it can be sue
cessfully questioned, when the form is
changed to that of a direct grant of money
from the public treasury.
Such aid should be, as it always has been,
suggested by some exceptional conditions
The sudden emancipation of the slaves of the
South, the bestowal of the suffrage, which
soon followed, and the impairment of the
ability Of the States where these new citi-
zens were chiefly found to adequately pro-
IL oIv
only exceptional. but unexampIed condi-
tions. That the situation has been much
ameliorated there is no doubt. The ability
and interest Of the States have happily in
creased.
AN ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING.
But great work remains to be done, and
1 think the General Government should
lend its aid. As the suggestion of ma
tional grant in aid of education grows
chiefly out of the condition and needs of the
emancipated slave and his descendants, the
relief should, as far as possible while neces-
sarily proceeding upon some general lines,
be applied to the need that suggested it. It
is essential, If much good is TO be accom-
plished, that the sympathy and active in
terest of the people of the States should be
enlisted, and that the methods adopted
should be such as to stimulate, and not to
supplant, local taxation for school pur-
poses.
AS one Congress cannot bind succeed
ing one in such case, and as the effort
must In some degree be EXPERIMENTAL, I
recommend that an appropriation made for
this purpose be so limited in annual amount
and as to the time over which tits extended
will or the one hand give the local school
authorities opportunity to make the best
use of the first years allowance, and on the
other deliver them from the temptation to
unduly postpone the assumption of the
whole burden themselves.
The colored people did not intude them
selves upon us; they were bro1Sht here in
chains, and held in the communities where
they are now chiefly found by acruel slave
code. Happily for both races, they are now
free.
IN SPITE OF ALL NEGLECT.
They have, from standpoint Of Ignorance
and poverty, which was our shame, not
theirs, made remarkable advance in educa-
tion and in the acquisition Of property.
They have, as people, shown themselves
to be friendly and faithful toward the white
race, under temptations of tremendous
strength. They have their representatives
in the national cemeteries, wherea grateful
Government has gathered the ashes of those
who died In its defense. They have fur
nished to our regular army regiments that
have won high praise from their command
ing officers for courage and soldierly quail
ties, and for fidelity to the enlistment oath.
In civil life they are now the tOilers of
their communities, making their full con-
tribution to the widening streams of pros
perity which these communities are receiv-
ing. Their sudden withdrawal would stop
production and bring disorder into the
household as we'll as the shop. Generally,
they do not desire to quit their homes, and
their employers resent the interference of
the emigration agents who seek to stimulate
such desire.
But, notwithstanding all this. in many
parts of our country where the colored pop
ulation is large, the people of those States
are by various devices, deprived of any eff
fective exercise of their political rights and
of many of theiS civil rights. The wrong
does not expend itself upon those whose
votes are suppressed. Every constituency
in the Union is wronged.
REFORM BOUND TO COME.
It has been the hope of every patriot that
a sense OF justice and of respect for the law
would work gradual cure of these hagrant
evils. Surely, no one supposes that the
present can act as a permanent condition.
If it is said that these conditions must work
out this problem for themselves, we have a
right to ask whether they are at work upon
it. Ii they suggest any solution, when and
under what conditions is the black man to
have free ballot? When is he in fact to
have those full civil rights which have SO
long been his in law? When is that equal
ity of influence which our form of Govern
ment has intended to secure to the electors
to be restored?
This generation should courageously face
these grave questions, aud not leave them as
heritage of woe to the next. The consul
tation should proceed with candor, calm
ness and great patience; upon the lines of
justice and humanity, not of prejudice and
cruelty. No question in our country can
be at rest, except upon the firm basis Of JUS
tice and of the law.
FULL AND FREE BALLOT.
earnestly invoke the attention of Con-
gress to the consideration of such measure,
within its well-defned constitutional
powers, as will secure to all our people
free exercise of the right of suffrage and
every other civil right under the constitu-
ton aud laws of the United States. No
evil, however deplorable, can justify the as
sumption, either on the part of the Executive
or Of Congress, of powers not granted. but
both will be highly blamable if all the
powers granted are not wisely but firmly
used to correct these evils.
The power to take the whole direction and
control of election of members of the House
of Representatives is clearly given to the
General Government. A partial and quail
fed supervision of these elections is now
provided fol: by law, and in my opinion this
law may be SO strengthened and extended as
to secure, on the whole, better results than
can be attained by law taking all the pro-
cesses of such election into Federal control.