The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1901-02-08
HON. F. A. MeLAIN'S SPEECH.


We have been favored with a copy
OF the speech made by Hon. F. A. Nc
Lain in the House of Representatives
on the 9Th OF January, in opposition
to the Crumpacker reappOrtionment
bill. 1t was magnificent effort. In
his address Mr.. Crumpacker had said:
In order to make the dominion OF
the white nan complete, all oppor-
tunity for education must be taken
from the negro. The policy is to de.
prive him Of the right to vote and then
withdraw from him the means of edu-
cation, so he will have no ambition to
contest for supremacy with the white
man in anv of the fields Of usefulness
Replying to this Mr.. McLain said:
Mr.. Speaker, standing here speaking
for my State, l say, sir, the charge Is
absolutely without foundation. but,
on the contrary, the facts are abund-
ant to show the reverse. The very
constitution Of our State that he saw
At to assail so freely on the floor OF
this House on yesterday provides, in
substance, that it shall be the duty Of
the Legislature to encourage. by all
suitable means, the promotion Of in
tellectual, scientific, moral and agri.
cultural improvement by establishing
a uniform system OF free schools, by
taxation or otl,erw wise, for all children
between the ages OF s and q years, and
whenpracticabl tn establish schools
of higher grade.
1t further provides, in substance,
that public school shall be main.
tained in each school district in the
county at least four months during
each scholastic year. Mr.. Speaker,
this is the fundamental law Of our
State. Have we lived up to its pro.
visions? Has the Legislature OF our
State put it into full and complete
operation? Yes; it has done so most
literally and upon most magnificent
scale. No State in this Union, in &C.
cOrdancc with the wealth of our peO-
pie, has done more. The last Legisla-
ture OF our State appropriated for
public education for the year OF 1900
81, ,0O0O for common schools and
$272. .534 for our State colleges (white
and black), and like sum for the
year 1901.
This fund is distributed pro rata,
regardless OF race, to the different
counties, and the colored educahle
children being about 100, 900 more than
the white, they, OF course, receive the
largest share OF this fund. Is this all
we do! Not by any means. In addi.
ti0n to this, nearly every village, town
and city in our State supplements this
amount received from the State fund
by an amount sufficient to run the
public schools in their respective To-
calities from seven to ten months in
the year. The negro receives his pro
ratio share OF this also. Under this
system every child in our State has an
opportunity to attend a public school
from four to ten months in the year.
What has she done and what Is she
doing for higher education in our
midst? Let the facts speak. She
maintains and owns three as great
colleges as exist in the SOnth for the
education Of the white youth OF the
land. Nor has she on this line neg.
lected the negro, for she has also one
magnificent college for the education
Of the negro race. She also contrib.
utes literally to two other institu.
tions run In the interest Of higher
education OF the negro. l am reliably
informed that, from the best data
obtainable, the proportion Of taxes
paid by the Two races Is 93 per cent.
for the white and per cent. for the
negro.
In the face OF these facts I respect.
fully submit, does not this record OF
my State refutc the charge that we
are uulawfully denying the ballot, or
that we are withdrawing tlle means
OF education from any class OF our peo.
pie ION account Of race, color, or pre-.
vious condition Of servitude9" II
shows that tile non-vOter and tn pOor
and helpless receive the protection
and blessings Of our government az
freely az the rich and the strong.
Does " not show, further, that we
realise that our public sohool Votsn