The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-06
THE NEGRO QUESTION IN VIRGINIA

The V~irginians are waking up at last
as to the necessity of legislating with
reference to the negroes. A Richmond
special TO the Charleston News and
Courier dated THE 10Th, says that ut
mo period in the history of the state
has there ever been so much legisld-
tion aimed ait the negroes as during
the Legislature now in session hare.
This, too, is of a class which seeks to
bring about THE most radical ~eforms
in dealing with this acc. The foremost
reason for assembling a constitutional
| convention, for which a bill is now
/ pending and is to be mad a party
question, is to d~isfranchiSe the negro
and eliminate him from Virginia poll
tics" This shows that in Virginia as
in North Carolina, South Carolina.
Mississippi, Louisiana and one or two
other southern states. the white men
nave resolved to be free and to gov
ern. That is the meaning of all efforts
to eliminate SambO as a vicious and
! destructive factor from future politics.
That is unquestionably the meaning.
1t is to get rid of the worst element
among negroes and to give the fran
chise to no black illiterates. In the
| lower house in THE Virginia legislature
a Jim crow bill for railroads has
passed. The negroes will have to ride
in separate cars on all roads, is the in
ten of the measure. The special to The
News and Courier says:
81 measure has hapn inItr0dnPad and
has the communication of some of the
ablest man IN Virginia, which prescrib-
ed a horrible and unmentionable pun
iShment for assailants of women. AS
50 per cent. of such crimes are COM
mitted by the negroes, this is intended
entirely for that race. It is har
probable that this mode of punishment
will be agreed Ito. Its form is such as
IT is not believed that it will be
adopted"
This is not new. ut has been urged
in North Carolina, and in other states.
There is a change undergoing among
the whites as to taxing whites to ed
ucate negro children 1t is a growing
sentiment. AS before mentioned in The
Messenger, the governor Of Georgia,
regarded as conservative and friendly
to the negro race, in his message to
the Georgia legislature, recommends
| that each race educate Its own chill
| dren, and no taxation of whites for
negro schools. 1t will come soon or late.
Now in Virginia there is an increasing
disposition to apply white taxes to no
negro schools other than industrial
schools. The special says:
No steps have been taken in that
direction, but the recent report of the
superintendent of public %structio
Indicates quite plainly a sentiment in
favor Of such legislation as will give
the negro only an industrial education.
1t is not unlikely that a proposition
will in the near future be made to
separate school taxes of the two races
and give ITO the negroes only the pro-
portion paid in by that race. If this
were done the amount for negro edu-
cation would be quite Insignificant"
For fifteen a there has been a
small minority of white voters who
Were much opposed to being taxed for
negro education. So far as The Mes
senger is informed. there is still a
strong sentiment among the white
electors to continue TO help educate
the negroes. But if the amendment
should fail to become a law, and main
ly Through the devilish Vaccinations
Of such public enemies as Marion But
Ter and Ohio Wilson, and baser fellows
Of that low type, then the last dollar
will have been paid for negro educa-