Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-02-23
TALK OF THERACES
Opinions of a Michigander Who
Went TO Texas.
HE BELIEVES IN SEPARATION
Both Races Are Better by Themselves
The Texas School System opeIstes
With This System in View.

s. S. Perry, of Fort Worth. Tex, is a
guest At Sweets. II tell you Texas is
the greatest state IN the union," he
said. demurely last night, as he looked
down st the floor and blushed. ''It's
not only the greatest state. but it's the
richest. and one of the best places that
the Almighty ever made. If . man
wishes 10 live-not exist, you under
stand, but iive-Texss is the place for
him. He can find all kinds of soil and
all variations Of climate. He can find
all classes Of people, from the refined
and egotisticai graduate Of German
university 10 the humble, lowly-b born
cowboy, whose only source of
pride and qualification lies IN the fact
that he has planted eighteen fellow
steer punchers. Some people imagine
that Texas 10 . wild. untamed locality,
where a man'a highest ambition is 70 60
out aud shoot his next door neighbor
before breakfast. They don't seem To
realize that we have Churches and
schools and colleges; that We attend
Sunday school, and wear spike tail
coats and patent 3eathers to recep-
tons held in honor 20 cer-
eutu pCoitC WIZ OCiOuk W Out cSts
Texas is the richest etate in the union
because the state owns all the land.
The government doesn't own q foot,
unless it has bought il. Our common
school fund is the largest of any state
in the union. Every other aection of
state land il set aside for school pur-
poses. The state already has millions
of 6ollare, the interest of which goes to
the public schools. The principal can
not be touched.
A school For Each Race.
When We build q school, we always
build two. That may seem paradoxical,
but we establish one for the whites and
one for the darkles. We treat them all
alike. but educate them separately.
Both have the same advantages in
every respect. | know that is true,
although it is sometimes denied by
northern people who never were out of
their own state. Colored children in
Texas have the same educational rights
as the white children, but we put them
in separate schools and have them
taught by colored teachers. Anybody
who knows anything about it knows
that there can be no injustice In such
an arrangement.
Pm not a fire-eating southerner. ]
was raised in Michigan and fought in 3
Michigan regiment during the war; but
have lived south ever since; my wife
is southern woman-was a regular
unyielding rebel, and l have seen this
question from both sides. / am sln-
cere believer in the policy OF keeping
the two races seperate and distinct.
There is something moro than race pre-
important IN the school life than any
where else. Anyone who knows any
| thing, knows that an amalgamation of
the two races is the greatest conceiva-
ble disaster that could happen TO
either. 1t produces mongrel with all
| the worst tendencies OF both races.
Now, you can educate the black and
white children together, and they each
lose the race feeling which they in
stinctlvely possess and which the better
classes of men and women In both
races have. As result they are liable
to intermarry and produce y race OF
| mulattos that are of no use in Gods
world. know there are good many
tolerably white darkies now, and We a II
know how they got that way. Cusscd
| few of them were bleached out by the
sun, and Pm not in favor OF legaiizing
the production of any more OF
them. If a white man marries
n colored woman or white
woman marres colored man
make it penitentiary offense, just as
it should be. We run seperate coaches
for white and black. too. There is no
difference in the coaches. except one is
reserved for one race and the other for
the other. We fine a person of either
race who goes into the wrong car. and
persists in riding there, s25. Many
people think there is an injustice in
this.
The south has no antipathy toward
the negro race. All ii asks is for the
darkey to try and elevate himself, and
for the north not TO spoil him by max
ing him believe he is devilish eight
better than ne ever was or ever will
be. That's the principal fault with
him. lie thinks he is more important
than a statesman and more learned
than college president. He has an
idea that he ought to be supported,
and IL ne doesn't get what he wants. he
promptly swipes il. The honest, indus
trious darkey, who earnestly tries 10
better his condition. and is willing to
accept his proper station in his life viii
hnd more friends among the south
4 orpors than aiming any nfher Ciazs t,f