The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-28
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
To thc Edltor d The Posi-.

I
National Prison Congress. And / ain no
little disappointed at the silence 'n.in-
tanned BY these gentlemen upon 50 grave
and monstrouS questions.
ii is far from me TO seek other than
the substantial good OF those with vi ON
/ am Identified. and / am embo,dencj to
express my sentiment upon any and all
things Affecting the best interest Of the
race Tor / befleve that thong ltful int u
prefer eafnestnesS TO glitter, common sclSe
10 hair splitting theories. Toe address oil
President Winston Is full of meat Tor tie
profoundest thought. II VIII surely give
direction to All imnieasuraDle degree III
The future legislation bearing upon popular
edryatfon. every representative body OF
cofofpu men should, therefore, give the
address thorough and unbiased REELECTION
While | diner with this learned p1d uIs-
tlnguisheu educator upon some of bis de-
dNctiuns, l can not dispute the fac,s he
cites, for they are based upon figures. Nj
though these facts and figures present Il
most unsoemly picture, this noble man
has set over against Ii Il redeeming Feat
ure that must touch the heart OF every ne
gro with hope and gratitude.
l shall desist In considering tie ten
premises as well rs the six Deductions ia
mentioned in the address, and come di.rct-
" TO what in the point of wholesome re-
suits overshadows all other statements
contained therein:
.The kind OF education that the .csio
needs is industrial and moral, enforced W
severe restraints, rather than with intel
lectual culture with freedom OF conflict.
After learning TO read. write aud cipler,
the next most important thing for the me-
gro Is industrial and character training.
= With the expression, "the kind OF a1u-
and moral am fully persuaded that time
VIII demonstrate it AS a living and tangible
truth. To my mind 1t has been clear for
years that the tendency to educate nGr
boys and girls, solely to teach or to preach
or for other literary callings, was only
making the vessel top-heavy. If history
teaches any truth clearer than all others,
this truth is that the things which of nee
essity first concerns a people are food,
clothes and shelter. The negro upon lib
Grafton was destitute of these essential re-
quirements to his austenance, and instead
of following natures law by seeking about
persistently and Systematically to obtain
them. freedom dazed his vision, and he
thought all that glittered was gold. The
field of politics was enchanting, aud ne
regarded it as the magic stone that would
cure every i'll. The idea of parent hav-
ing Il son that could preach or teach was
so comforting that many good farmer.
missed his calling. No one
should unduly censure an inexperienced
and ignorant people for false impressions
OF life. Neither should any one seek to
delay the time when these impressions can
be removed.
The negro today stands beside the swift |
current Of opportunities. with the white !
man. and dire necessity presses hard upon |
him 10 knock the scales from his eyes, |
his hands and seize time by the |
~,
eSorahle DEGREES that regardeth not mans |
Ignorance. The field OF the teacher, the !
the lawyer and the doctor is linz |
tied, The masses OF no nation have ever |
filled these callings and never viii. Gov
must deal with the destiny OF the |
masses. II not the foundation is lcst to |
decay. and great must be the fall of the
The masses OF the negro !
boggars the most serious thought, not only |
OF intelligent negroes, but OF every good |
citizen. To all men like Professor Win |
stOn seeking TO help solve this prohlcM is
a source of deepest qualification. In the
and agricultural ayoeations
have the masses always ttodden, obtaining
therefrom the wherewith TO maintain
This rule applies with a Pc
culiar force to the negro. In this South
land brond and inviting field along these
lines stretches before him. The compe-
tent GARNER, blacksmith carpenter milf
ner, though be is a negro, is in demand,
and can command good wages. For years
after the emancipation the negro held pre-
the sway in the shops, on the
farms and at the bench, and in the laun-
dry Sad is tho picture to see him rap
ping at the door OF these sefsame positions
to he discarded. Why? Because he can
not bring into play the science and art
that have dgnified and elevated these
same callngs Can the race afiord to lose
70 ind t,fa
south? Tho magnificent churches. schools
residences owned by the negroes speak
louder than words that TO us the trades
are Just MS important as they are 10 the
German, the Frcnchman and the China
man.
II is strange thing as we'll as con-
temntlble thing TO me to see men OF color.
by the sweat of Il mother over
washtub, or father at the forge, s2orning
the idea of an industrial school for our
boys and girls. and bowling like inmates of
IN insane asylum for an university Civ
ng with great ceremony the plea that the
white citizens have one 1t never occurs
70 their minds that there Is an eternal fit
less of things or q time for all things
they cite the action of the puritans In
Yale and Harvard, without ever
studying the history OF these schools These
schools III their incipiency met the lmme-
late and all -peryading needs OF those peo-
1le, ana bore the same relation to Yale
md Harvard of today that our common
nuntry schools sustain TO these nstitu-
ions now
We hope that wisdom may guide our
iext legislature to the end that industrlal
md moral education among the negro may
row apaee, Though a humble citizen OF
his grand Lone Star State. venture the
'rophesy that God in His fur-reaching
providence deigns that through Professor
WINSTON the Sous and daughters OF Ham ,
iholi be given a chance 10 look the world
\ the face while earning their daily bread !
\ class of people without money and prop
'rty needs that industrial education that !
WI enable them 10 hsgin at once to earn /
he collar needed 10 frlghten the wolf from /
he door. The Alumni association OF the | i
'tate Normal Institute for Negroes is on /
ecord as having an Industrial school Ia
neFt our peculiar wants Of this day and /
'our Tho race stands--ths thoughtfni !
mes theieof-lo applaud them in ,hci, !
wise aud patriotic stand, We trust that d
his Institution viii at this goodly hour |
egin TO marshal their forces and shove /,
a lant In IA oil.