The colored American., 1901-03-02
THE CoLoRED AMERICAN, WASHINGTON D. O.


institutions it TO equip as thoroughly
as may be by liberal culture the color
ed people themselves, in order that
they may possess capacity in some
small degree to protect themselves in
those several states Of our union where
the social and political agencies Of the
commonwealth are organized against
them, and where any man is at liberty
TO OppresS and rob them at will with
out any, the least, fear of punishment
or rebuke. Indeed, l might go further
and say that there is no way for them
10 secure the higher education as a
matter of right by fair and equal par
ticipatiOn in the educational inStitu-
lions supported by the taxes of all the
people.
The cOlOred people are rigidly ex-
cluded from these public foundations
Of learning and thrust off into SO-called
cOiOred state institutions which are
outright frauds upon them and the
public, and were it not for the mis-
siOnary work of the North among the
cOlOred people Of the South they would
now abide, and continue to abide in
zimmerman darkness. Indeed. it is not
too much to say that the cOIOred peO-
pie have steadily fallen backward in
| the missionaries began to retire from
their midst after President Hayes-s
election in 1876.
| know that this statement will be
| challenged by a host Of educational
agents with their SO-called statistics;
but l know, nevertheless, the state
ment to be true.
The whole truth of the matter is
that the entire South is mOribund on
this question, with only a few live
| spots here and there where the mis-
| siOnary association has established
and maintained institutions in the face
| Of all sorts Of diScOuTagementS and
| hostile legislation by the states them
| selves. L appeal to the records of the
| State legislatures themselves for con-
| tirmatiOn Of this diSgraceruI fact At
| this point | might vary my theme
| somewhat so as to make it read: The
reason why the higher education needs
to be given to the cOlOred people by
| the American Missionary association
is because they cannot at this time get
it in any other way even though they
| are paying for it all the time by ex-
hOrbitant taxation vigorously levied
upon them, and collected from them -
And lately these feeble institutions,
doing their world of good in a benight-
ed land, have been reduced to the con
diti0n of the smoking flax of scripture
almost quenched-by a withdrawal
Of their accustomed donations on the
hypothesis, fOrSOOth, induStriOuSIy eX-
plotted and encouraged by the worst
enemies of the cOlOred people, that
they are differently constituted from
| other men, and are without the need
of the higher spiritual, social and scien.
| titic culture essential to the progress
sive development and well-being of al
other peoples.
!, This is a most greviOus error to say
the least of it, fraught with great mis-
chief in the long run to the cOloreG
people. They ought not to abate one
: jOt or title of their claims not only tt
equality of right and duty with al
men, but identity of right as we'll, fo1
J in the practical affairs of life equality
| of right can only be secured through
the medium Of identity of right freely
accorded to all who may justly claim
it.
, The higher education is needed Il
teach the cOlOred people to appreciate
the dignity of manhood to stand I'D
right upon their feet. Says Carlisle
THE essence Of our being. the mys
: terry in us that calls itself T,'-ah. wha
: word have we for such things ?-is
] breath of heaven; the Highest Bein.
reveals Himself in man. This body
: these faculties this life Of ours. is i
not all as a vesture for that Un
namedT
There is but one temple in the uni