The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-03
The Negro Problem.

feel it proper, as longtime citizen
of Austin, to answer few questions asked
in your paper Sunday before last by Pro-
fessor Blaokshear. Twenty years expert
ence has proven that the negro can lie
educated. 1 ask the questions: "What
will he do with himself after being edu-
Gated" do all the educated negroes e1-
poet to teach school or preach?" II 80, l
always expect hard times among them.
believe that 1t will take a commercial
traffic among the negro to ever make
useful citizen of him. There are too
many false prophets teaching men.how to
die, andnot enough true ones teaching
men how to live and make useful citizens
of themselves. He asked the question:
rs not a race war a thing 10 be
expected in the southw l answer, no.
When we get teachers in this country to
teach the people that the prosperity OF
the colored man and the white man ID
identified together, then we needn't expect
war between races.
When our people quit following up
these booms (such as tbs trips to Can :
fornia and Kansss) and sacrifice their
comfortable little homes for a trlfe, and
take interest in building this country up
in peace, prosperity and happines, then
the negro can get along better.
My own experience III ten years business
in Austin has proven that colored mans
business carried on in gentlemanly man
ner is not ignored on the part of the
whites any more than it is on the part of
his own race.
l was in business and was patronized by
the best white families in town from the
commencement of my business until the
ending, and / don't know of any country
on earth better than the "Lone Star State
of Texas for the negro race to prosper
in. We have cheap land, low taxes, well
conducted schools and trying 10y the help
of Cody to get good teachers.
The elders and few other moonshiners
of the negroes went together in 1886 in
committee and put papers in the hands of
white man to solicit money to build the
Deaf and Dumb and Bind asylum. When
the petition reached me l refused to sign
it and told them to first ask the legisla-
ture for this institution and when it
refuses then make other steps. We asked
and got it, and it is grand enterprise to
LIE negroes of Texas. It is managed by
II. Holland, the choice of every bust
ness negro in the state. He is the right
man in the right place. Any man who
says that the taxpayers of the state of
Texas are not in favor of the education of
the negro, let him go down and look at
the State Normal at Prairie View, or go
out to the Deaf and Dumb and Blind
sylum conducted by Mr.. W. II. Holland.
Il he hasn't time to do that, let bin walk |
in and look at the city schools of Austin,
The future of the American negro is just
what he chooses to make of himself. |
The state of morals is not equal to
hat among the whites, and it will
never be until we get teachers into this |
country to practice whet they teach. There
8 no excuse for the negro not learning |
rades, for there is no contractor that
objects to negro working if he Is com
'etent. There was one colOred man that |
worked on the capitol from beginning to
nding. The negroes are learning trades,
or we have several professional ball
,layers already.
say for Gods sake, Mr.. Teacher and |
Preacher quit teaching race prejudice.
lexas is the garden spot of the world;
ONE together and let's cultivate it. |
ave been citizen of Austin thirty |
ears. l have travelled over great many |
f the northern states. You may have |
IL the world, but give me Texas.
Il. III. CARRINGToN.