The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-02

A meeting Of representative cOlOred citi-
zens OF Washington, the object Of which
was a discussion OF the District Public
School bill now under consideration in
Congress, and which ended in a formal
protest against the alleged aspersions cast
upon the colored people of the city by Com
missioner John B. Wight, was held yester-
day afternoon in the Sunday-schoo room
of the Second Baptist Church, in Third
Street northwest. The occasion was the
regular meeting of the lyceum of the
church, and addresses were made by sew
eral prominent colored men OF the District.
The resolutions, as adopted, follow:
Whereas the population of the colored people
of the District OF Columbia is from 50 900 to
$1,000 and said population pays taxes property
valued at from sl2,O0.0oO 10 sl5,GDo,O ,O50, We be
Ieve, and we, the colored citizens of the District
OF Columbia request the Congress of the United
States to amend the bill providing for the crea-
tion Of school board of FIVE members. superin-
tendent of public instruction, etc, as to pro-
vide for two superintendents to be appointed by
the President OF the United States. one of whom
shall be a colored and shall manage the
colored schools Of the District Just as the other
a white man, shall manage the white schools.
And TO 80 amend the bill that the board Of cdu-
cation shall be increased to seven members. three
OF whom sl.lll supervise the colored schools and
four OF whom shall supervise the white schools,
and the majority of this board shall supervise
the entire public school system OF the District OF
Columbia, and
Whereas in a recent investigation OF the Police
Department OF the District. John b. Wight. 4
Commissioner Of the District of Columbia. did
outrageously slander, libel, and condemn the en-
tire negro, Irish. and Italian population OF the
District in the following language:
Il say il with all kindness but / state II as
fact that the 10000 colcred people here are equal
to The criminal conditions in any city. They re-
gard life of value whatever"
Therefore he il resolved, That committee Of
five from this meeting be appointed by the chair
man 10 visit the President of the United States
and to request him in the name OF 9O0o0 of his
fellow citizens. two-thirds of whom tax
PAYERS TO request the immediate removal Of the
said John b. Wight from the office Of Commits
sioner -of the District OF Columbia, and if this
request cannot be complied with. in the name OF
10000 citizens Of the District Of Columbia and
100000 OF colored citizens OF the several states
10 protest against his reappointment as Commis-
siOuer.
Resolved further. That similar committee be
appointed by the chairman for the purpose of
presenting TO Congress the request of the coloTed
people on the school question. and said committee
Is hereby authorized TO use all honorable means
with any Senator or Representative 10 carry out
the wishes OF the people.
r. ". Thompson, President of the
lyceum, presided. and James E Slaughter
was secretary. In calling the meeting to
order President Thompson explained that |
the subject chosen for discussion was the !
public school system of the District as af- |
fected by the proposed legislation. He de- |
clared that it was the most important |
question occupying the attention of the col |
ored people of the District, and one which |
they could not afford TO ignore
Mr.. Thompson warned those present that
the lyceum was no place for the throwing |
of firebrands. 1t was no: to the purpose of I
the occasion, he -Ie!ntained. to denounce |
anybody or TO antagonize any public Of
fcial. On the contrary, they were met to
discuss the public school question and to
devise means, if possible. to preserve the
autonomy Of the colored schools as they
now exist.
President Thompson then introduced
John p. Green. Of Ohio, as a temporary
Office holder Z sojourner of the District
and a patron of its schools"
The speaker declared that he deprecated |
drawing the color line and dislihed to dis
cuSs ii in any way He thought it unfor-
tunate for both races that there had been
a separation of blacks from whites in the
matter of education. 1t was maintained
that the two races had to live together in
cities, were forced TO meet upon a common
plane in business and in politics, and he
thought it wrong to force an unnatural
and mischievous distinction in the matter
of public education.
Mr. Green continued along this line at
length, and in conclusion said
Is it to go abroad to the country that
the negroes of the District of Columbia are
not capable Of managing their schools? A
thousand times no. We will fight this
thing as hard as We can here. and il we do
not succeed. we will send word out TO our
people in the States and fight the battle
through at the polls"
He was followed by Prof n E. Weather
less. who opposed a change in the school
system.
The subject further discussed by
Prof. H. Fl. Hart. Mr.. Manley. and Miss
Emma F. G. Merritt, the latter taking the
ground that taking the supervision of col
ored schools from the hands of colored
men would result in the degradation of
such schools.
But this serious discussion of the school
question was not what the audience had
assembled for. and it was left to W
Calvin Chase to start burning the pent-up
Indignation of the audience. He arose
and said that he was not going to abide by
the orders of the chairman. He was GO
ing to call names. Cruel aspersions. he /
said, had been cast upon the colored peo-
pei OF the District by one of the Commits
sioners. and Mr.. Chase said he had come