The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-28
TAKES GAMBLER TO TASK
FOR HIS ASSERTION THAT EDU.
CATION is THE REMEDY.
NEGRO C0NvlCTS WHO READ AND WR IT
The Time that is Wasted on Higher Branches
in the Modern College Course, A Dr.
gression from Politics TO
Step.Ladders.
written for the constitutional

written for the ConStitutlon.)
reckon there are enough philosophers
to solve the race problem and save the
country without further assistance from
me, and so | will swear off for the pres
ent. | don't care much whether the ne
gro goes to Africa or Arizona or stays
here. If he stays here he has got to stop
his deyilment or take the consequences.
and I'm willing to trust the people on
that line. But of all the absurd rene
dies that have been proposed none are
more SO than q change of venue and a
trial in five days in some distant county.
County lines do not bound the fierce in
dignation of people Mortified and en-
ragged over such tiendish work as that of
Sam Holt and will Lucas. And besides,
just think of the machinery that has to
be set in motion to summons and con-
vey thirty or forty witnesses to a dis
tant county. and even then perhaps no
trial or Il mock trial that disregards the
forms of law and the rights of the crimi-
nal No, that is no remedy.
But I've sworn off. Let the wise men
settle it. tho | confess | was surprised
when read that Governor Gambler had
just discovered that education was the
only remedy that would stop the commits
sion Of these heinous crimes. According
to statistics of New York and Massa
chusetts. taken from their State prisons
and published to the world, education
fosters and increases crime-not a little,
but immensely. The governors theory
has been long since exploded. And right
here in Georgia the uneducated negro
before the war and for few years after
was moral and law-abiding and now
there are 1900 in the State and county
chaingangs, IS per cent. of whom can
read and write.
But | forbear. | would rather rumi-
nate about pleasanter things, though l
must protest against this utterly unten-
able basis Of all the negroes being good
negroes excepting 5 per cent. Mr.. Inman
started it and / see that Bishop Gaines
takes comfort from it in his beautiful
and impressive sermon of last Sunday
1t is a delusion and a snare Nearly 5
per cent. of their voting population are
now III the chaingangs. and it is safe to
say that If everyone who steals was ar
rested and punished it would add 10 per
cent. more to the black army of con-
victs. Petty larcenies are common in
every household where they are employ
ed, but they are not brought to court
These little offerings are crimes but
the crimes are condoned-for they have
some good qualities, and their service is
needed. 1t is q race trait and develops
with education. especially among the
younger negroes. The records of the
courts prove that the percentage of small
larceny and burglary grows faster than
their population increases. City negroes
and town negroes are more addicted to
it than country negroes for they have
more education and more opportunities.
The fear of the law as it is now does
not deter them. The fear of the lash
would. But we can worry along with
their little offerings on the principle
that Il cook we once had declared to me
when | reproved her for stealing: You
don't miss what | takes 1t is the
greater crimes that now give our people
deep concern and these will be quickly
and terribly avenged Our people, espe7
cially the country people, are in desper-
ate earnest. and neither law nor lawyers
nor tie hoIns of the altar will protect a
brute in human form, whether he be
white or colored.
But what makes my thoughts and my
pen glide along on this subject! My
wife is calling me now to come there
and bring the steplalder. She wants the
vines on the trellis tied up, and | am
the boy. That ladder is old and rickety
and / am subject to vertigo sometimes.
I'm afraid of that ladder, but never in
my life did admit to her that | was
afraid of anything. and so j viii mount
that ladder with all the alacrity / can.
The time was when | had black boys
and white ones, too, to wait on me, but
now / have to tote my own skillet and
nurse the grandchildren, too. There are
two little ones here half the time and
they love me dearly and | have to stol
writing whenever they say SO. They
want me in the garden to get flowers OF
pick Strawberries or make sand houses
or mud pies or get some water or some
thing to eat. and have to follow then
around or carry the little one while my
wife is making some more little dresses
for them. Their mother has no servant
and lets them come up here by them
selves to be petted while she is sewing ol
cooking or playing on the piano. My
wife and do more work nowadays thar
we ever did in our lives. but it is swee
work and we like it. How the children
and grandchildren will get along wheI
our time is out and we are off duty
cannot see. but one thing | know, 18th,
Lord will provide for .'He tempers tn,
wind to the shorn lamb"
But about these negroes. Hardly ;
day passes but what | hear somehod,
say: Il wish TO the Lord that they wer,
all out of the country" | don't know
about that The iron makers and miner
and lumber men and railroad men ant
the big farmers would object, for thei
labor is both useful and profitable.
wish We could scatter and apnoriol
them all over the country from the AT
lantic to the Pacific. There are a
least 800 in this little town that W
would like to spare. but we would lik
to pick them. There are no doubt 10
600 in Atlanta-m mostly young bucks an