The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-03
FOUGHT FOR, PASSED
BY THE DEMOCRATS
Free School System With
No Discrimination
THEPLEOGE MUST Be KEPT
Vast Majority of Party in Line With
the Policy.
THE PLEDGE MUST Be KEPT
BUT A FEW CRITICIZE THE GOVERNOR
While He aid Other Officials Arc Simply Strug.
gIirg to Garry Out the Pledge of Uni
VsrsaI Education Made by
The Parfv
The Party.

versaI Education Made by
The Party.
1 desire to use the columns of your pa
per to correct an error into which
writer in the News and Observer mad
vertently fell in an article entitled ''Try-
ing to blow hot and cold in the Franklin
county Republican League in Sundays
edition, July GOTH 1 have prepared this
paper, not so much to correct the error
as to utilize the opportunity it furnishes
me to say something which, in my judy
ment, ought to be said and said plainly.
In discussing the circular which this
Republican league had issued in refer
ence to the education of the negro the
writer used this language: THE Con-
stitution which provides for the school
the distribution of the school fund be-
tween the races without discrimination
was framed and adopted by the Repuhli-
can party and that provision of the Con-
stitution is still just as it was when
adopted by that party in old reconstruc-
tion days" This is the error which l
wish to correct and to use as a text for
the communication. 1t is an error as you
will plainly see by reference to section
9 of Article l of the Constitution of 1868
and the same section and article of the
Constitution of 1875.
Section 2 of Article 1 of the Constitu-s
tion of 1868 reads 1.-THE General Assem-
bly, at it's first session under this Con-
4
otherwise for general and uniform sys-
tenn of public schools, wherein tuition
shall be free of charge to all the children
of the State between the ages of six and
twenty one years. Nowhere in the Con-
stitution of 1868 is there any note taken
of the fact that the school children of
the State are composed of different races.
A foreigner reading that instrument
would never have learned from it that
there were children of the white race"
and children of the colored race" to be
provided for in these public schools. 1t
would have been possible under the Con-
stitution to have established schools in
which the children of the white race and
the children of the colored race should
be taught together in the same schools
and classes. And section II of the same
article conferred upon the General AS
sembly the power to compel the attend
ance of the children of the State upon
such public schools as might be estab-
lished by law.
The convention of 1875 introduced an
entirely new feature and made a radical
change in this article of the Constitu-
tion. The convention added to the end
of Section 2, which l have quoted in full,
as it then stood, these words: And the
children of the white race and the child
rem of the colored race shall be taught
in separate public schools; but there
shall be no discrimination in favor of or
to the prejudice of either race" Now
let it be remembered that this amend
ment was prepared and passed by the
Democratic members of that memorable
convention which had in it some of the
best, the Wisest and ableSt men of that
party. This amendment was submitted
to and voted upon by the people of the
State at the great Vance Settle election
of 1876. Vance favored it, Settle opposed
it. The Democrats of the State voted
for it, the Republicans against it. 1t
was ratified by large majority and be-
came part of the Constitution SO it is
not the work of the Republican party
neither the white Republicans nor the ne
groes voted for it. 1t is solely the work
of the Democrats, Of the white men of the
State. Speaking now as Democrat and
to Democrats, say it is our work and
we should be proud of it. BY it we have
distinctly provided three things
First. That there shall be g general
and uniform system of public schools
wherein tuition shall be free of charge to
all the children Of the State between the
ages of six and twenty one years"
Second. That 1.-The children of the
white race and the children Of the color
cd race shall be taught in separate
schools"
Third. That there shall be no dis
elimination in favor Of or to the preju
dice of either race"
This is our record We made it, We
went to the ballot box and voted for it,
and when we did it VIC declared for sepa-
rate schools for the two races without
discrimination Every time we have reg
istered as voters since 1876 we have
sworn to support this provision of our
Constitution which our party made
Every time any of us have taken office
we have sworn to support it. If we will
but stand steadfastly by our own work
and continue it in good faith our party
will deserve and will receive the graft
tude and praise of the coming ages. AS
an humble member of that party l re-
joice in the fact that wherever it has