The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1892-07-16
Is THERE ANY EXCUSE?
The Ungodly Race Prejudice of the
South Shown Up,
Excellent Article by Amory II. Bradford,
ID. d., Reprinted fl ON the New York
Independent-FoOd for Ser
ious Thought.


Independent-Food for Ser
ious Thought.
It has recently been NY privilege to
visit one of the largest and most inhuen-
tial of the institutions in the South for
the education of Colored people. The
University, for such is it's name, is loca-
ted in great and wealthy city in the
heart of a commonwealth of imperial
proportions. The white population of
the city and State is prosperous, and
boasts among its members many distin-
guished for their influential position,
both in Church and State. There, if
anywhere, it might be supposes, would
be some little recognition of the claims
of our common humanity, and, at least,
an honest and fair attempt to solve
rather than complicate the most difficult
problem that faces the American people
But what are facts? In that city, OF
probably one hundred thousand popula-
ton, there are numerous public schools
for the benefit of the Colored children;
and, doubtless, we should be told, as we
have been told elsewhere, that the white
people tax themselves for the support OF
these schools, and that that Is an evil
dence of the interest of the whites in
the improvement of the Colored race.
But, according to their wealth, the Ne
groes ere taxed for the maintenance of
the white schools as much as the whites
for the support of the Colored schools.
Moreover, it is transparent fallacy for
the whites to say that they support the
Colored schools, when the work of the
South-which is it's real capitals done
almost altogether by the Colored people.
Those who do tie work in any country
haye a right to expect that they will re-
ceive fair share of the results of their
labor. and those public schools are part
of what belong, in simple justice, to the
workers of the region. The whites OF
the South are taxed for the Colored
people in the SAME way that the native
inhabitants of the North are taxed to
help educate those who come to us by
immigration. We have no right to make
claims to superior virtue becausd we are
helping to improve the Irish and Ger
mans, the Italians an d Hungarians who
enter our ports. We are simply doing our
duty by the State. And those who haye
money in the South, whether they are
white or black, are taxed for the benefit
of the State in supporting the schools,
which are for the welfare of the State.
None of it is done from self.sacrifice, but
all for self protection. Moreover, those
schools are primary and intermediate
only; there is at the expense of the pub.
lie little, if any, provision, SO far as
know, for the proper training of Colored
teachers that is given in the advanced
institutions maintained by Northern
charity. And what concerning those
institutions? Let me describe one OF
them and the reception which it has IN
the heart of 1.-The imperial common.
wealth" in which it is locaced. There
are several of the same kind in the CITY
supported by the Christian benefcence
of Northern people. This university"
has about six hundred pupils. To in.
struct those pupils there are twenty-nine
professors and teachers. The buildings
have been erected and the work carried
on thus far by those who belong to the
true heroes of our country. know
something of the State in which that
University is located, and make bold
to say that there have not been in ite
whole history two persons more heroic
and more worthy of enduring and world.
wide fame, than were the late president
of that institution and his noble wife
who worked there, in the midst of seclu.
sion and social ostraclsm, for 80 many
years. His successor, an honored and
beloved classmate of MY own, is taking
up and carrying on the work in the same
spirit. He is graduate of Yale Univer.
sity and Andover Theological Seminary;
long student in German universities, q
man of most finished and beautiful cul.
ture, member of an old and distin.
guished Boston family. With him az
dean is another graduate of Yale, a De-
Forest prize man; a scholar with dis
tinguished record; graduate of And.
over, and one who has won high posi-.
ton as pastor in New England.
Worthily associated with them is still
another graduate of Yale. man of large
culture and beautiful spirit; and with
them are still other college-bred men,
trained in the best educational institu.
tons in the land, and representing high
social circles. One of them, for instance
is son of recent President of Amherst
College. When we turn to the women.
teachers we find graduates of Wellesley,
Mount Holyoke and other Northern COL
leges and Normal schools-ladies, every
one of them, in the highest and finest
meaning of that much abused word. It
was my privilege to attend reception
given by the President of the University
to the graduating class. have attended
many such receptions, and have seldom
found gathering where there was more
Intelligent and interesting conversation.
Two or three of the lady teachers for
personal beauty would have been dis
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