The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
OPPOSES NEGRO SCHOOLS.
PLATFORM or POSSIBLE COZ
ERNOR or MISSISSIPPI


Vardaman. lately OF tho Fifth Immunes. and
one Of the strongest men politically liz Mis-.
pissippi. is making a strong canvass for tho
Democratic nomination for Governor. on the
most renctionary platform Yot pronosed in tho
Bouth IL he succeeds IL will 10 because n
majority OF the whites approve his position on
the negro que 'tion. and his nomination will
mean tina, some serious effort will be made
70 put those views ln,o practical operation.
Democratic nomination in Mississippi is
equivalent to AN election
Major Nardanans experience in Cuba has
made him even more II al on tho negro
question than no was when llo left Mississippi.
He is opposed TO the education OF the negro.
and believes th1t the rolored race should he
reduced to psonaEe o. SO Sc Uttered that they
would no longer form anv large element In
Che POPULATION Of the South A. for :he ne
gro schools he believes they u i,r"rc harm
than good. and he would witl,ldA thc state
Support for them
When Senator George Trained present
Constitution Of Mississippi he amcl TO giyo
the political power into the hands Of the whites.
This was done by means OF an educational
qualification recurring that voters should hn
able to read and write. He declared that II
Che state made ability 10 read and write
condition N the electoral franchise it mast
give every man n chance to get an education.
new Constitution. whirh'rontains a pledge that
every child in the state shall have at least
four months education year so as to equip
The nalas for voting. and by the Constitution
the state agrees to make good any local de-
fcicrcy ia funds for the support and main
tenanre Of the schools.
This provision has Leen the subject OF fro
ouent attack. financial difficulty soon pre-
seutcd Itself The funds get apart hv the
N AZ for 81 II ,,,,li ;,,
were derived from licenses. mainly LIQUOR IL
censes. The revenue was ample At the be-
ginning. but since then "A s.ronE prohibition
movement haS spread through Mississippi.
until now. under the local option laws. every
county Ia, rOt"i against the sale OF LIQUOR
save i've. and the revenue from this source
has so shrunk that the state will have to in
crease its taxes If It wishes TO continue its
quota OF the school fund
Some little prejudice against the negro
schools has been created 10y a compromise
reached in the convention in the interest OF
white supremacy. whereby the Legislative ap-
portionment wa so gerryman Tered as to give
the white counties majority IN the Legisa-
ture under all circumstances The white
representatives Of the black countes. where
there Is majority OF negroes. agreed to this.
on the understanding that the gerrymander
was not to apply to the schools. but that tho
Der Of school children in each county. The
result is that the black counties have the
largest school funds and revenues an the best
schools. to the great disgust OF the districts
where the whites predominate and control the
political destnes OF the state.
But while these facts have'rlayed some part
In arousing race DreJudces.and undoing the
work OF Senator George. the true foundation
for the movement which Major rardaman's
line sal. las ;,,st la-, a. "a
between white and black. which has not ended
with the Acknowledgement Of the latter. This
bitterness Is not general. but that It prevails
among a number Of tho whites IL evident. 1t
has shown Itself In MANY ways. In Georgia.
Alabama and Mississippi an effort has been
made TO reach a settlement OF the vexed negro
school question by the proposition that all the
taxes paid by negroes shall be used for the
education OF the coloreb race and that the
taxes paid by whites shall be employed eyclu-
sively for white schools. As the negroes own
not more than 5 or per cent. OF the prop
srty, the revenue from this source would be
sufficient to educate only a few thousand a
year. and the race would go steadily backward
IN the matter OF education.
This proposition. radical though |, he oes
not go tar enough to suit large element OF
the Mississippi whites. 'OuI educational
qualification protects us for the present" say
continues educating its youth it il only uues-
ton Of time when all Of them will 10 able to
read and write and qualified for the suffrage
And as Mississippi has majority Of negroes.
II will be under their political dominion-and
the fact tha. the negroes are educated will
make II all tho worse
This ia largely the view that Major Earda.
man takes. and is the platform upon which
he is running for Governor The main ques-
In, tha afr,,,r IA
public schools. and this takes in the negro
question generally Under tho law. tho black
counties receive the most from the school
fund. The consequence Is that the negro chill
dren are being educated and the white chill
dren neglected. although the negroes pay only
per cent ot the taxes. It Ia an outrageous
state OF affairs. aud the white people are finally
waking M 10 the situation. ! am making my
campaign almost entirely on this issue, and
am advocating an amendment to the ConstI-
tuition that will take care of the education OF
the white children first. even II It has to be
done to the exclusion Of tho negroes The
best sentiment in tho State demands it,"
Us M!Ssissirpi cannotraise enough money
for the education OF both its white and It's black
children without additional taxation. and as
that is unanimously opposed. the colored
youth are likely to suffer II Major Nardaman
gets into the Guhernatorial chair ot.NIississippi
MAJOR Nardaman makes concealment OF
his :elist that negro education is a pitiabe
failure"
1t is met" he SAYS. by an insurmounta-
bic barrier Of race prejudice l mean exactly
what | say. Ne are charged with entertain
ing race prejudice. | admit it the charge is
true. The prejudice exists; = II cannot be
eliminated and It may as we'll I've considered
rs factor OF the Southern problem. | am
. 10 Iyi, h
platforms. When we educate the negro we
impIant in him all manner Of aspirations and
ambitions which We then refuse to allow him
To crafty. negro could not he elected even
Justice Of the Peace in Mississippi. no matter
how abls, honest and otherwise un objection
able he might hc. 1t is folly and criminal
folly. 10 talk about advancing the negro race
by education. The negro is not permitted to
advance. and his education simply spoils
Gal