New-York tribune., 1895-07-28
APOSTLES OF BiRBARLSM.

Senator Irby has adopted new scheme To So
cure white supremacy" in South Carolina lie
wants TO found the social fabric OF the state NOT
on learning but on ignorance. He wants TO de-
grade the negroes by the operation OF law, 10
cultivate anew the survivols In their blood Of the
old sayagery and superstition. and turn the Com
monweath into new land OF barOarsm where
n small minority Of whites will be able 10 rule
over an inert black population as Arab traders
and English advcnturers rule over the native
races Of Africa The same end which was sought
In the ante bclum prohibition against the 'each'
Ing Of slaves is now TO BE- accomplished by jug
Cling with school funds.
Irby proposes to apportion 10 white schools 'he
school moneys paid by whites and to colored
schools the moneys paid 10y negroes. According
to The Columbia State" such a division would
depriye the negroes Of from seven to nine ten'hS
Of their present school facilities. and would make
the pretcncc Of furnishing them common schooi
education mere absurdity. II would mean the
utter abandonment by the State OF all pre'encc
OF belief in intelligent citizenship as Dulwark
of civilization a frank confession Of an intention
TO reverse the policy followed from the beginning
by every State in the Union. Such law would
annonnce South Carolina TO the world as the
only republican government in existence when
has deliberately set about 10 degrade ~" mlhV
for the selfish interest OF the Few. Ihe answer
made 70 all complaints If the negro ana those
who had regard for his rights about his being
disfranchised and cheated has hitherto been that
he was ignorant and unfit for the ballot when
the Federal Constitution conferred upon hiih'
and consequently the representatives, OF the SUI
perior race were reduced 10 the unpleasant nfres-
slty Of taking the law into their own hands II
they wished to maintain the high standard OK
civilization which was handed down 10 them 10y
the fathers That excuse for election frauds and
negro intimidation may have been made In good
faith by some men Of a past generation In South
Carolina politics who trembled at the thought OF
their former untutored slaves having a voice in
public affairs But the Tillmanites are under no
such deluson Of fear and apprehension. They
denounce the negro for ignorance and unfitness
to take part in the government and then go 10
work systematically to deprive him of what little
chance he has Of acquiring knowledge and hitting
himself to DE safe and worthy citizen.
This proposition Is another revelation OF the
unprinciped character OF South Carolina Popu
lism. All its muchheralded reforms are de-
vsed purely for the benefit OF the reformers. not
al all for the advantage Of the State. The Con-
stitution Is being revised with view TO insur-
ing the continued ascendancy OF the present
rulers Of the State Senator Irby must under
stand full we'll that to deprive the negroes delb
erately Of education and TO attempt TO degrade
them to the level Of the old slave days would
bring upon his State the contempt OF the whole
civilized world. Such proceeding would be not
only wrong TO the negro, but a crime against
humanity IT would be Step backward In the
progress Of man. II continued It would mean
the relapse Of South Carolina into barbarism
The whites would follow the negroes In their
downward course But Senator Irby does not
mind anything like that II for few years he
and his fellows can manage TO make the states
degradation advance their personal fortunes.