The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-07-11
dignity Of latcr is tie poets dream:
There is not much dignity in digging
q ditch or pulling fodder or scalding

dignity OF la1or lS tne pOeG pTeaiu.
There is not much dignity in digging
ditch or pulling fodder or scalding
hog or cleaning out stable, but
somebody has it to do. Some folks
have to cook and some to wash and
some to drive the drays. Some folks
are born to honor and some to dig
honor, and there is no use in fretting
about it. To labor in sunie Way is the
comthun lot; and it is the law; both
human and divine. All Of us would
like to have choice of work, but we
can't. There is eolored teacher On
trial here now for telling his pupils
that they ought to rise above doing
menial work for the white folks and
that it was high time the colored race
should quit cooking aid Washing and
waiting on them. That is the acSusa-
tion, and it comes from some Of the
patrons of the colored school. What
was proven I do not know. He is a
smart, well:educated negro, q graduate
of CLARK university and has conducted
himself in respectful and proper
manner and is superior teacher.
But the question arises, what are
the negroes to do for living if they
don't pursue these menial occupations
for the white folks ? Suppose the ne
gro men get on high horse and swear
they will not drive drays any more nor
work in livery stables or hotels or
shine shoes or chop wood for the white
folks, what would become Of the town
negro? What would become Of Aunt
Ann if she didn't cook for me and get
her 81 every Saturday, while I am
taxed to educate her children It is
all well enough to rise higher il they
can, but they can't and it is bad edu-
cation to excite false hopes. We
have been educating these negroes for
twenty-five years and they will spend
their last cent on circus or an excur-
sion or funeral or for watermelon.
They still, live for to-day regardless
Of tomorrow. There are some excep-
tions, but improvidence is the rule
and neither teaching nor preaching has
changed their race traits. The Irish
emigrant might as we'll swear off from
digging On railroads and public works
as for the negro women to swear off
from cooking and washing. But the
common negro contented disposition
will make him discard all such bad ad-
vice. What ever they deserve they
will get, and, as Aunt Ann says,
'Efen I don't get crown in dis
worl' I will in de next, an [ hain't
got long to wait, thank de Lord. 7"
But what is all this worth. The
gentle remonstrance Of the old-fash-
toned few will not avail against the
tidal wave of the many on the subject
of education. Encroachments on hu-
man rights never go backwards and
laws that grant pensions and plunder
and privileges are rarely repealed.
Then there is the trucking fear Of
what our northern friends, the enemy,
would say were we to stop spending
public money on the negro. What
benefit have we ever secured from pay
ing obeisance to northern opinion
Not even an intermittal of slander,
and it is humiliating to see our Gov
ernor stoop to answer their accusa-
tions. Better say, in the words OF
Colonel Oates, ''What are you going
to do about it p But maybe We can
stop this enormous drain upon the
treasury where it is and not any
further increase the facilities. And
maybe we can stop these annual dress
parades. of the military. If ever there
was time when retrenchment was de-
manded, it is now. And now [ think
T feel better for having had my say.
Let the procession proceed.
BrLL ARP.