The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1899-06-30
NEGRO EDUCATION.

of the school money goes to the thick
4 ly settled delta counties where til,
proportion Of black to whites are a
least six to one. The result is tina
o they have plenty of schools, will
= well-paid teachers, and Il term of 81,
or sever months. In the sparsel,
Z settled upper counties, where the
whites predominant, the schools are
few, the teachers get only from 81;
to $25 a month, and the term lasts
but four months. The consequence
, is that the negro children are being
educated and the white children are
being neglected. this in the face of
tie tact that the blacks pay only
about 3 per cent. OF the taxes. 1t Is
an outrageous state Of affairs and the
white people are finally waking up to
the situation. | am making my cam.
paign almost entirely on that issue"
What do you advocate as Il reme-
dy?:' Major Vardaman was asked.
"a change in the law so as to take
care Of the white children, even ii it
has to be done to the exclusion of the
blacks. Such an amendment can be
easily framed and it is demanded by
the best sentiment of the State.
"Therc is no getting around the
fact continued Major Nardaman.
that the whole scheme of negro edu-
cation in the South is Il pitiablc
failure. 1t Is me by a barrier of
race ~prcjudise that is simply unsur-
monntablc. | mean exactly what
say. We are charged with entertain.
ing race prejudice. Well, | admit it.
The charge Is true. The prejudice
exists, can't be eliminated, and may
as well be considered as a factor of
the problem. | am tired Of this ".
ing and shutting in politics and plat.
forms. 1t is time to face facts hon
estly and squarely, and say what we
mean and mean what we say. In
educating the negro we implant in
him all manner Of aspirations and
ambitions, which we then refuse to
allow him to crafty. 1T would be
Impossible for a negro in Mississippi
to be elected as much as justice of the
peace, no matter how able, honest
and otherwise understandable he
may be. Yet people talk about ele.
waiting the race by education. 1t is
not only folly, but it comes pretty
nearly being criminal folly. The ne
gro isn't permitted to advance and
their education only spoils a good
held hand and makes a sIiyster law
yer or a fourtll-rate teacher. 1t is
money thrown away.
"What do you think Of such insti.
Us Booker Waslington's?"
asked the reporter
''1t would be all right In a nation
of negroes, but 1t Is useless In the '
south. There is no field OF usefulness
for the graduates OF such an inititu.
l admit that what | say il (.
rough on the negro, but facts
ire facts. and as | remarked before. {
Ne might Us we'll confront them {
'guareiy. The f~utility of attempt l
NJ to elevate the negro aud give him |
! place in affairs is taught by the !
Rsole history of the Anglo-Saxon :
ace. Whenever the A%nglo-Saxop :
'nmeS in contact with an inferior
they are either absorbed or n
dominated. There are no executions a
o the rule. The negroes are hone. $
inferior and the least progress t
i've race in the world. Look at them L
n Africa. In all these hundreds OF Il
ears they have not advanced an {,
nch. Their Development by educa. !,
lon would be a discouraging task Il
Inder any conditions, and under =
hose that exist and will continue to 4,
xist In Mississippi it is simply pre-.
OsterOus.