The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-11

State SO as to provide that all the school
money collected from wifite taxpayers
si'an be appropriated to the schools Of
white Children. and that the negro CHI
drcn shall have the benefit only OF such
revenues as are derived for school pur-
psscs from the negro taxpayers. The
negroes have earnestly pstIioned that
tbs be not d!one ard as this very per-
anent question: Why should not the
income of workingmen alone be applied
to workinsmen's CHILDREN. or the income
from Italians 10 Italian children. or Ice
income OF the rich go solely to the edu-
cation of the rich, II only the schoo!
money collected from negroes is to so 10
the education OF negro children?
This question has also been raised by
scme OF the Virginia papers. and it is
worth CONSIDERING. The term common
school implies common benefits. BY the
strict letter of the law 1t is not right
10 tax one man TO educate another man S
child, and there are taxpayers to-day, as
there have been from the beginning, who
il Z StpSsSd III Di!i!SipiG w h'tN "t'S'S
common school system. Many men who
have 30 children to EDUCATE and others
who having children do not send them to
the public schools are yet taxed to sup
port the common school and some OF
them pay the tax grudgingly. But It is
argue, and with sense and force that
every man does get an indirect, il not a
direct. benefit from popular education, as
it tends TO improve the citizenship OF
the State, and whatever tends in that
direction is to the good of all. But it is
none the less true that there is a spirit,
whether made manifest or net. OF opao-
sition 10 the school tax, and it is dan
strous for poor men to raise the question
Of discrimination. The very life of the
common school system. we say, IS in its
common benefits The strongest arsu-
1nent in behalf of it and against oppose
ton is that the benefits are the same 10
all just as the benefits of every other
species Of taxation. But if we once be-
gin 10 discriminate we strike at the very
root of the common schools, and there IS
no telling where it VIII end. If we are
going to have one class of public schools
might as well abolish the whole system
and let each man become responsible for
the education of his own Children. Better
let we'll enough alone. The schools are doing
great work and popular education is
progressing in a satisfactory way. Let
ta rar-
ward 1t is dangerous tc inaugurate
radical changes.
But there is a higher motive still NO
generous act is ever lost. If it does not
accomplish the exact result hoped for, it
always gives a reflective or a reactive
benefit We have in the South great
mass of negro children. We know that
education improves and refines, and 1t is
our duty 70 give these children the ben
eft of an education, leaving the results
to take care of themselves. IF we do Our
duty, il we do the generous part by the
blacks, We shall. al least, have the APP
prevail of cur own conscience, no matter
whether the backs are benefited or not.
But if we, in a spirit Of selfishness, with
hold from them the benefits of education,
turn them adrift and tell them to look
out for themselves, to hoe their own roT
without any material aid, or words of
good cheer from the whites, be sure that
our conscience Will lash us. The people
of Virginia are 4 generous people, and
we do not believe that they will ever con-
sent 10 Withhold from the blacks the COM
paratinely small sum of money that is
annually appropriated to the negro
schools The law of kindness should be
cur rule of conduct for those who steer
their course by that chart will never
have cause to regret it either il TINS
world or in the world to come.