The Washington times., 1901-12-29
The COlOred Race Since
Freedom Was Bestowed
EXCELLENT Showing IN EDUCATION.
More Than One Half of Negroes
of Voting Age Classified as Lit
erates-Nearly a Half Billion in
Property Accumulated.

the thirty-ninth anniversary OF Lincoln S
emancipation proclamation.
May we briefly trace the hopes and fears
which accompanied its PRONUNCIATION more
than generation ago, and see If the con-
sequences of this drastic and revolution
i.ry measure have justified the cost?
Has freedom for the negro paid, or shall
we yield the conclusion that he is the
failure predicted in some quarters when
President Lincoln broke the shackles from
his ankles and gave him to himself?
Such an enquiry is valuable mainly as
starting point in the consideration of
negro problems. for so universal Is the
belief now that slavery was wrong that
even the ex-slaveho1ders are everywhere
agreed that there is no desire to return
to 1t. The man who at this day would
attempt to make a public appeal for the
re-enslaving of the American negro would
be set down as a counterpart of Rip Van
Winkle. re-echo from the distant past
phantom from ante5ellum history.
Progress in Education.
What problems then in the negro's
career that existed forty years ago do
not exist today? In other words. how
many uncertainties has he set at rest
as to his capacity as a human being and
his value as a citizen.
Forty years ago there was a grave
uncertainty as to tho negro's capacity for
education. distinguished representative
in the United States Senate from a slave
holding State had solemnly stated that
when the negro's capacity for Greek roots
and Latin idioms should be proven. his
views on the questions Of slavery would
change. There existed a general opinion
that the negro could not learn, and was
mentally incapable OF absorbing the fun
damentals OF educational training.
So far has the negro proven the reverse
OF this conclusion that we hear only the
question agitated as to whether he shall
be entitled to equal school privileges with
whites. or whether he shall be limited in
his educational opportunity to the taxes
which he pays.
Beginning forty years ago. with at least
30 per cent unable to so Iluch as read
a word or write his name, we find, in the
Census OF 1900, that 52.7 per cent of all
negro males Of voting age are classed as
literate. leaving only 47.S per cent who
cannot read and write. This percentage
appears more important when we are re-
minded that since 1860 this same race has
increased from 4.441,S3O to S,SIO.7S9 in
1900. or nearly 100 per cent.
Contributions to Literature.
In New Mexico one-fourth OF the whites
are illiterate. and in Louisiana and
North Carolina one-ffth of the white
population cannot read and write. The
negro has equipped 10000 teachers dur
ing his freedom. has written and pub
lished nearly 1000 books and rneritorious
pamphlets, edits and publishes more than
15O newspapers and magazines.
But more important than mere stalls
tics are those negroes who are proving
by individual contact. public discussions.
and contributions to current literature
the thorough efficiency Of negro educa-
tion.
Another problem which the negro has
settled is his capacity to acquire wealth.
the very basis Of civilization. This ability
and disposition to accumulate property in
some form for future use is the dividing
line between the savage tribe and the
civilized State, and the negro could have
made no claim upon the rights Of Ameri
can civilization, If his aspirations like the
birds OF the air. began and ended in
ringle season. But the negro has shown
most decislvely that he does have that
regard for posterity that wealth gives
to future comforts.
His showing in this respect is even
more conclusive than his educational ad-
vancement for in the latter case he is
in debt to large extent to missionary
aid and encoura cement, while in the for
mer he has held his own in the midst
o, an Industrial competition which finds
no place for sentiment and is peculiarly
a survival of the fttest
Accumulation of wealth.
The State of Georgia had In the census
year of 1900, 1.O34.s13 negroes. which is
little less than one eighth OF the race in
the United States As most OF the States
do not keep any separate record Of prop
erty owned by whites and blacks, it is
necessary for definite conclusions to take
a single State like Georgia and make gem
eraI estimates therefrom.
The comptroller Of Georgia reports that
the total property for which negroes are
assessed in 1907 is Sl5.G29, ,s1l. which is
nearly a million and a half more than
the previous year. Professor Dubois, OF
Atlanta University. who is an expert So
ciologist, estimates that this assessed
value is hardly more than 80 per cent OF
the real value. and that the property
which is exempt would amount to about
ten million dollars, which means that
the negroes OF that State have accumu
lated $40. 200, 900 in wealth in one genera
ton, or nearly $3S for every man. woman.
and child
Taking this amount as a basis OF cal
culation, the negroes of the United States
are owners Of 1886, ,9Ig, ,932. As the negroes
are more prosperous in some other States
like Texas, and the border States. than
in the black belt" it is safe to esti-
mate the negro's total wealth at more
than half billion dollars.
one Of the serious fears attendant upon
the question OF emancipation was that
the negro us a freeman would not work.
that the removal of force would remove
from him the only motive for hard phys
ical labor and we should have in our
midst a large ambitionless, hopeless.
worthless mass, menace to free insti-
tutions starving for want of providence.
Like the COW. horse, or other animals as
customed to domestic control he would
not be able to adapt himself amid free