The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1903-04-23
THE NEGRO PROBLEM
What win the Negro Do When he Is
Educated and Acquires Property.

1t has seemed to us that those who
discuss the negro problem from the
point of view of education, and who
think that if we only educate suffi-
GENTLY and along right lines, we shall
reach wise solution, overlook several
very important facts. In his admira-
BILE address last week Mr.. Cleveland
followed the beaten track. He, too.
missed what seems to us to be a very
important point. What ne said Of
the negro was wise and true. he
thought that he ought to have every
chance, and he said, what we all know
to be so, that in many ways the ne
gro has better chance in the South
than in the North. Booker L. WASH
ingtOn was cited as witness in sup
bort of this statement. He has said
that "when it comes TO business. pure
and simple, it is In the South that the
negro is given mans chance in the
commercial world"
The Southern negro has much wider
industrial sphere opened before him
than has his Northern brother. We
OF the North, as rule, treat him as a
mental, exclude him from the skilled
trades and crafts, and limit him
grievously in his activities. All this
is brought out by Mr.. Cleveland.
1t is further shown that the South
is really doing much to educate the
negro. She is taxing her people to
maintain schools for the training of
the negroes, and is putting no obsta
Gle in the way Of his securing an ed
ucation. All this is admirable. There
is probably no more prejudice In the
South against the negro than there is
In the North. But there is still some-
thing behind. And it is we'll to be
entirely frank In such important mat
tiers. Many people are wondering
what is to become of the negro after
you have educated him. Is it propos-
ed to hold him in bis present state of
political subsection? Are we to con-
tinue to'deny him the right to vote,
and to hold Office If he can be elected
to It? Is be to be allowed merely to
make his own living, and to enjoy
himself only as long as he keeps out
of politics? II this is to be his status
is there not some truth in the fears of
those who dread the effects of educa-
tiOn on him.
So it does not seem possible to con-
slider the Question of negro education.
apart from the question Of the future
status Of the negro. For. in the first
place, we must consider his education
in the light Of his future sphere in
order that we may tit him for it. This
OF course, is of great Importance. But
more important yet is the question Of
what will be the general effect of ed
ucation on the negro. In the slavery
days the people of the South were
right in opposing as many of them
did, the education of the negro. For
an Intelligent and educated man can
not long be kept in slavery. To ed
ucate the slaves, therefore. was equiv.
alent to emancipating them. Educa-
tiOn and slavery were deadly enemies
to each other.
Is not something Of the same con-
dition presented at the present time !?
We doubt whether millions of educat.
ed, trained and cultivated men would
long consent to be deprived of the
right to vote. 1t seems impossible to
think of the permanence of society
in which there are two classes sharply
defined, and having no political rela-
ti0ns to each other. When the ne
negroes get property, and they are ac-
quiring it In the South with consid-
erab!e rapidity, and experience the
awakening which education must
bring, it may not be easy to- exclude
them from their political rights and
privileges. An educated man. with
the right to vote, can no more be kept
from voting than an educated man
could be kept In slavery. These mat
tiers do not receive the attention they
deserve. We are not depreciating ed
ucation. On the contrary, we regard
the work of such men as Booker T..
Washington as the most hopeful
thing In the South at the present
time. But there must be this looking
ahead indianapolis News.
Dodging a Load OF Buckshot.
The Chicago Chronicle a leading
democratic paper says: With all def
erenca Tn Mr. Cleveland, g wisdom If