The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-05-16
EDUCATION AND THE
RACE PROBLEM IN NORTH
CAROLINA.

fsage in Maryland" published in The
Outlook, / read "The most serious
aspect of this Southern movement is
the temptation to keep the negro IN
ignorance if he is thereby kept from
voting"
Speaking as citizen OF North Caro-
lima, wish to offer some observations
upon this statement.
1t were futile to deny that there are
political leaders in the South with no
mean following who would keep the
negroes in ignorance in order to keep
them out of politics. Many even OF
the more intelligent and less partisan
white men seriously doubt whether the
ability to read and write will fit the
average negro for citizenship, and are
preparing in their minds : to meet the
exigencies OF the situation when the
negroes, having learned to read and
write, are returning to the body polite
proper. That is to say, they not only
do not think the negroes will be fit to
vote when they learn to read, but are
ready to Gebar them by some other
means when the present barriers. shall
have been overcome.
On the other hand, large number
OF our white people, though perhaps
not majority, are in favor of educat-
ing the colored people,. I think nine
tenths of the preachers and teachers
are. Nevertheless, I should add that
in North Carolina the preachers and
teachers have little to do with politics ;
andxhe education Of the negroes, since
it must be derived from public schools
supported by taxation, is a political
question.
The Constitution of North Carolina
requires that the education funds shall
be so used that the schools of each
race shall be maintained an equal
length Of time each year. The period
OF the free schools tor whites now is
fourteen weeks, OF the colored it is
thirteen weeks.
The free schools are supported by a
general tax of eighteen cents on the
hundred dollars of property and fifty.
ieur cents on the poll This returns a
gross income OF about one million dol.
lars. which maintains the schools as
above. The Constitution requires thai
the schools shall be maintained foul
months in the year. They have not
| been maintained this length OF time
thrqneut the State SO long since the
Civil War, though for years number
of counties have maintained theil
schools even longer. I have been tolc
that nowhere in the United States hal
a prblic-school system succeeded wher
supported by a general State tax, a
ours is.
l. AT any rate, in 1897 a number O
gentlemen persuaded the Republican
Pcpulist General Assembly to enact (
law requiring an election to be held II
August, 1897, in every township in ths
State, to determine whether a specia
tax CT ten cents on property and thirt,
cents on the poll should be levied TO-
the purpose OF prolonging the terms O
the free schools. There are more thar
fifteen hundred townships in the State
In that election less than fifteen town
fships voted for the special tax
In this campaign I had charge o
the literature, and also campaigned
Our funds we're pitlfuliy meager. w
had the support of perhaps fifty lead
ing citizens who signed their names t,
an address in behalf of the tax. Presl
dent Alderman, of the State Universe
ty. President Mclver, of the State Nor
NAL College, and other prominent edu
cational leaders gave themselves freel,
to the cause of the special tax. Man,
papers that began as advocates of th'
tax changed front. The present Gov
ernor of our State, then leader OF tit
people, undertook to campaign for th,
tax, but he found it impossible to maxi
progress.
The reason universally given for re
fuslng to vote this tax was that i
would help the negroes as much as th,
whites. i may cite the INSTANCE of on.
man with six children to educate
whose extra tax would not hay,
amounted to fifty cents, who refuses
for this reason to vote for it.
OF course some did not understan,
tie proposal; CT course there wer
others WHO we're Opposed to taxation
on general principles )" undoubtedl,
many Democrats withheld their SUP
port and disco uraged the movement OF
the ground that i. was Gathered" b
the Fusion parties, out of which n
fgood thing should come, If they nigh
i prevent. But 1t YVES Clear that, rathe
than bring about better schools 10
both races, thousands of white citizen
would not vote for small tax tina