Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-02-14

THlaT-
~hts ----.----.------------- .------.--- iss.tTs
Tst,l for both races .-..-.---.... - SO
rOrsL AvrnssE arrssDsScr ros cocx-
rtEs sSD DEsrstcr.
tsior-d .-------------- 10, ~,
Total for eoth rar-s s.--......-...-.. sa IS
The enumeration % educzble chill
dr-n FOR the year 1890 showed a total
between 5 and 81 years-of 500 sss..-
there being los, 80 more colored than
white. and according TO the above. s5.-
100 more eolor-d than white enrolled.
and the average attendance Of eolorrd
being 3.0ssS nsor- than whites
IL there are more white teachers than
eolorrd- IL u because more are qualified, /,
and IL white teachers receive a better
average salary than the eolored teach
ers. il Is because there are J. az 6rst
grade white teachers and only $50 6rSt
grade col0red teachers OF the total
a.011 colored teachers. il il safe to say
that s5 per cent of them were educated
in their native state and By the white
taxpayers Of Mississippi Il Is also an
absolute fact that the one million dol
lars annually appropriated by the state
for common schools. and the half mil
lion dollars or more added BY the coun-
ties and separate school districts, Is
distributed prorztx "a the $50 .=ss eSiu-
cable ehil1ren. regardless of race or
Locality.
rhirty-dve years ago there was not n
color-d school or a eolor-d teacher in
Mississippi The figures quoted show
the progress that has been made
In addition 10 the foregoing expendi-
tur- for common sehools-si. 81. 80. %
the legislature. ia 1900. appropriated
for the State University and State eoi-
leg-s. fOr that year. the sum Of go. :
80. or total of sl.siI.0O0sa The
State colleges Included the Als,oru A.
and NJ college. which has a color~d
president and faculty. aud an enroll
meat of nearly 600 students Arai the
STATE normal school al Holly Spring.
The trustees of Aleorn A and ". col
lege-all white. the governor being ex-
ottieio chairInan-reeeDtly ordered the
erection Of a $4,000 building. for
eolored girls. - that both sexes of tha.
rzee NAV have equal educational adj
vAntages-
For more than twenty years. Toug-
sloo [ University. eolored. received an
nual help from the STATE. bat the
school being under denomination con-
troll. has not received State aid since
the adoptioa Of the constitution of
1880. IL eoatinues 10 expand in good
work. and has the confidence and good
viii Of the people of the state. and its
commeneements are attended and ru-
joy-d by many white citizens. Jackson
College. shaw University and other
eolorrd schools. supported in part by
religious denominations and benevolent
people in the North, and by the States
and Peabody funds. are all pursuing
the even tenor of their way. and are
annually adding large el2sses 10 the
teaching force of the State Touxzloo
University and Aleorn College are de-
voting much attention 20 agriculture
and the trades and somr of these de-
partments are self-Sustaining. The
fact l.. Mississippi has been for several
years in the very front rank in edu-
eatiousl progress. and her beuetzcsors,
like the devs of heaven. 20 20 all alike.
The census of iseo showed that Missis.
sippi WAS third in per cent of attend.
zne- on public schools-exceeding al
the States excepting Kansas and Ten.
nessee, and this notwithstanding her
eolored population was i9e, 1875 more
than the white The census of 1904
will doubtless pu, her at the head OF
the column
The census OF 1900 will also show
wonderful progress in religious growth.
The eolored Bapsists. Methodist and
Presbyterians. and perhaps others, have
their organizations. and higher ecclesi-
asticzl courts. as well as their own
benevolent and fraternzl societies. and
their deliberations are quite rs orderly
and their journals prepared as care
fully. printed IS neatly, Is those of their
white friends
The question Is often asked, ~wha,
proportion Of the taxes is paid By the
negros' IL can only be answered ap
proximately- The tax rolls do not
show. and it IS hoped that the legislz-
ture will provide for this hereafter.
Auditor Cole and myself think tha,
seven per cent would be liberal esti.
mate. The fact that many leading
negroes are Organizing q cotton mill
company. and that eolored people are
steadily increasing their possessions in
town and eountry. justify the hope that
in the very near future this per cent
viii be substantially increased
There is 10 disposition on the part ol
the white people Of Mississippi te
abridge any Of the political or civil, re,
ligious or social. rights of the negroes
IL they want to qualify for. and ex
ercise the right of suffrage. the szms
tests and opportunities are prescribed
and Afforded for both races alike
There are about 5000 registered negrs
voters in Mississippi They vote. Il
some extent, in national elections In
1sso. about 1900 voted for MeKirle,
electors and in 1900. s,TeS voted tn,
Republican ticket In State or Iocz