The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-18
EX-SENATOR BLAIR Or NEGRO
EDUCATION.

Mr.. James F. Moore, Of Currie, sends
he Messenger 4 document written by
ex-United States Senator Henry w.
Blair, that appeared in the New York
Independent, the old abolition paper OF
the past, entitled The Negro Problem"
Mr.. Moore is president Of the Moore's
Creek Monumental Association and
lately he wrote an article for the Wash
ington Post in commentator of Mr.
Blair's paper. He referred 10 educa-
tional matters in the south, and the al
feet Of reduced representation by force
bills and northern interference with our
domestic affairs, all of which would re-
bound to the injury of the negro. He
is no doubt correct in this opinion. He
sees it as the educated, observing men
of the south see it. 1t will be disaster
Gus to the education of the negro. With
the congress-the dominant republi-
cans-legisIating against the intellig-
ence, virtue and tax-paying part Of the
whites it will be inevitable that these
prosecuted people shall not resolve to
cut off special taxes for negro educa-
ton and force the north to so educate
or the negroes to do it in their own
sparse way. Mr.. Moore said that the
south was perfectly willing to accept
northern aid to improve the condition
of the negroes, but, mark! under our
own tutelage, while being wholly un-
willing for fanatical politicians to un-
dertake the work"
Mr.. Blair is the same New Hamp-
shire republican who was the author OF
the Blair bill which aimed to turn the
Unied States government into a great
educational machine IN the south. This
was opposed by us at the time with
whatever of energy and ability we could
command. 1t was a dangerous, absurd
and unconstitutional bill. 1t was a
ed to the muzZle with pa ternalism of the
most offensive kind. Mr.. Blair thinks
his bill would have shut out all the
trouble that has since come from the
negro. That is very Quixotic. 1t would
have turned loose upon the south a
flood of evils tha would have precipi-
tated conflicts and in part overturned
the very structure of u government.
Eli. Blair wishes to organize IAN edu-
eational trust" and have $4,000, 900 a
year invested in educating poor white
i~Iliterates, and negroes, this fun to be
used through the state agencies. He
thinks this would solve the great ques-
ton of negro education. But where is
the money to come from? The answer
is necessarily from the people of the
whole country. 1t will compel millions
not interested directly to pay a lax for
southern illiterateS. 1t would not be
"mendicancy," as Mr.. Blair says, but 1t
would be a wrong, just as a high pro-
tectiYe tariff is wrong, because It makes
tens of millions of people pay more or
less annually to foster the business of
a comparatively few people-it robs
fifty men to make richer one man per-
haps already rich, with more millions
than he can count or care for. Ii the
north by voluntary contribution would
raise ten million dollars to cure Hitter
acy in the south it would be generous,
appreciative and b~enignant so far as
education of the mind can help to i'm
prove races, which is more OF fetch
tina a fact. The penitentiaries of New
England and all the north are filled with
people who can read anC write, some OF
whom are even scholarly and gifted. In
the south three-fourtns of the conv1cts
of both races can read and write, and
some of them use their gifts to forge
notes and despoil industrious and re-
spectacle people. If tie great cap
tains of industry" Is Mr.. Blair calls
them, men who have accumulated
hundreds of millions by the toll n
sweat of others, and by combines under
the fostering care of the awful Dingley
robber tariff tax, will bestow a liberal
part of their ill-gotten wealth to re-
Iieve the south they Cypress OF It's
burdens for educating illiterates 1t Will
be commendable, and may relieve their
burdened conScienceS.