The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-03

migrants who pay a very small proper
ton of the money expended on lhe
schools which are to train their chlldrch
to become more valuable citizens OF our
common country. The same thing may be
said of many northern cities, but we DO
not hear any one propose to cut down the
appropriations for school for some classes
the foreigners. because many of these
people pay almost nothing in taxes. That
is the very best reason for providing good
public schools for them Nec"''Se they are
lIIS VALUE TO TILE STATE.
In this connection it is we'll to bear in
mind that we are not to estimate the
value of the negro to the State simply by
the amount he pays in taxes. but rather
by he large amount of money his labor
adds every year to the common. wealth
of Virginia. Take that amount away,
and the ability of a. large portion OF
white people to pay taxes and maintain
schools would be greatly diminished.
From this viewpoint, it will be seen that
the negro is justly entitled to far more
consideration in legislation for schools
than would appear from his contribution
in taxes alone. AS he becomes better
educated and more skiilful workman in
every department of industry. he will add
still more To the general wealth of the
State. He Will more and more Though
for many years in a small Way) become
also d property-holder and taxpayer ana
thus contribute q larger proportion to the
support of the common schools
Not for the economic benefit of the ne
gro only but for the white man also shoul
we endcayor to raise the standard OF ecu
cation. of wages and OF living among our
eolored population. Ignorant laborcrS
and crude work mean. low wages for the
white well as for the black workman
II we doom the negro to Il life of lSno-
rance and degradation. we just as surely
do lasting injury to the large body of white
working people in cur country. For veal
or woe the fortunes of both races are
bound up together. We must lift up the
negroes, or they will by natural,
inevitable law OF society drag us
down. We must convince our people
that no investment pays larger dividends
to the State than that in brains. Take
the example OF Massachusetts. where the
best educational facilities are freely
provided for all classes alike. and you
will find that the average price of a days
labor in that Commonwealth is double
the average price in the Southern States;
and. although it is the most densely peo-
pied State in the Union, its population
increased more than twenty-five per cent.
in the last decade while the increase in
Virginia was less than twelve per cent,
as shown by the census of 1900.
SOME STRIKING FIGURES.
At the recent meeting Of the Southern
Educational Association III Richmond,
President Charles w Dabney, of the
University of Tennessee, at Knoxville,
l.re. ented some suggestive comparisons
between Massachusetts and the United
States and between that State and Ten
nesSec. Here is the result in the brief
est form: Education is as Il in Nassa-
chCsettS to SIS in the United States to G
in Tennessee. Production is as . in Mas
sachusetts to So in the United States to
SIS in Tennessee -
Every man. woman, and child in Massa-
chusetts, with its population OF q ,3346,
has productive capacity of $3.50 a year,
against $40 a year for the average inhab-
liant of the whole United States and SIG
a year for the average inhabitant of Ten
nessee. This means that the people of
Massachusetts earned last year $212 ,4S7, 140
more than the same number of average
people in the United States and s4o3, 1863, S24
more than the same number of people in
Tennessee. Twelve million dollars in
vested in superior education yields four
hundred millions a year.
From these and other comparisons, DR..
Dabney draws the following conclusion,
which is applicable to Virginia as it
is to his own State: IF the people of
Tennessee would compete in production
with the people of the other States of
the woodland they must do so whether
they will or not-they must educate all
their children; not only their white cEil-
dren, but their black; and they must edu-
cate them all-not poorly for a, few
months in the year and a few years in
their lives, but thoroughly through a long
series of years.
j am sure that DR. Dabney will be glad
to send a copy of his valuable paper free
to any one who will apply for it.
SHOULD BE MORE PRACTICAL.
Since almost hpS nd t,>o5 Ia
is open, at least in the South. to the COM
petent of both races, there does not seem
to me to be any good reason for making
Il radical difference between the education
provided for the white and the coIored
children of Virginia. AS the negroes are
mostly laborers on farms, their educa-
ton should be largely industrial to fit
them for their work; and I believe that
all our public schools for both races
should give more practical education
than has Vet become common anywhere
III the Union. The prevalence and in
crease of crime throughout our country
may we'll cause us to suspect that there
is something lacking in our system of
education. I believe that we ought to
introduce more of the practical and in
dustriai in order to teach our young peo-
pie how best to make q living. and that
more attention should be devoted to
moral and religious (not sectarian) in
struction in order to teach them how best
tc live for the good of their country ana
their fellowmen.
AS a VOTER.
Ne must also bear in mind that the
negro is under the Constitution Il voter,
and that the only wise and lasting policy
is to lit him by education for intelligent
and patriotic citizenship. The illiterate
voter. whatever his race or nationality,
is a menace to free popular government.
The liiterate negro will always be the
victim of the demasogue. at present main
~ of one party. but in the future of the
unprinciplec politicians of whatever
parties may exist. Hence motives of the
highest patriotism should prompt us to
do all in our power to make the negroes
Intelligent members of the body polite I
do not believe in any policy of depressing
or suppressing the votes of any citizens
guaranteed by the Constitution.andh hence
in my opinion, we ought to provide the
best possible schools for all classes of
our people; and then. if we restrict tho
suffrage, as it ought to be restricted
everywhere, We may safely do it by laws
that will bear with equal justice and
fairness on all classes of voters alike.
Thrift and economy in both races might
be promoted by adding to an educational
qualification the further reorfro,oa ant