The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-05-14
Manufacturers Record, April 16.

knows is not pertinent, expresses sur
prise at the opposition ''tO the South
ern Educational Conference, which
will be held in Richmond this month"; -
and assumes that the position of the
Manufacturers Record sis in aston
ishing contrast to its usual methods
and policies" :"
Reflection on the part of the News
Leader would demonstrate to it that
its statement involved in the first
quotation is misleading, and that its
statement i'll the second quotation is
somewhat the reverse of the facts. 1t
knows that the chief and successful
purpose of the Manufacturers Record
has been the upbuilding OF the South,
and that i'll pursuit OF that task it
has never failed to oppose with all
the energy it possesses any move
ment, within the South or outside of
it, likely to hamper it's development.
Strictly i'll line with that policy has
been its opposition not to the South
ern Educational Conference which
will be held in Richmond this month
of itself. but to the movement
launched two or three years ago, OF
which the conference at Richmond is
but Il prOmOtive manifestation. Op-
position has been and is based upon
The circumstances of the cOnpar-
ativel V unknown origin of the move
ment.
The design of the movement to Ell
courage an inclination to look out
side the South for funds to aid in its
primary education, to the dwarfine
OF local initiative and self-dependence.
The unskillful and erroneous hand
ling OF social statistics, resulting in
Il circulation ofinjurious misinforma-
ton about the South.
The obvious tendency of the move
ment to prevent Il correction of mis-
takes about the education of the
negro.
There has been nothing Of section
aIism' i'll this opposition. On the
contrary, its desire to check appeals
to sectiOnalism inherent in the South
ern Education Scheme, especially in
the promise OF that Scheme to give
new life to the negro question, was
not the least factor in leading the
Manufacturers Record to oppose it,
while it has permitted no considera-
ton of locality to influence it's criti-
cism OF men and methods connected
with the Scheme 1t has felt that in
doing that it has been rendering a
service to the whole country, no mat
ter what might be the feelings of en-
thusiasts whose zeal had outstripped
their discretion.
That the Manufacturers RecOrds S
work during the past year has not
been for naught is shown by the spir-
it of inquiry about the Scheme which
has developed in the South and by
the radical change of attitude in es,
sential matters on the part Of pro.
moters of the Scheme The stampede
toward the Scheme, which in it's ear,
lier stages took the published atti
tude that opposition to it implied
mossbackism and ignorance, which
would be "crushed under the steam
roller unless it got out Of the way
has been checked and opportunity
has been given for calm and rea
sonable consideration of the project
which it is sincerely hoped will result
in diversion of the 100000 a yeal
for ten years at its disposal to por
tiOns of the country where it may dc
no harm and may accomplish some
good-portions of the country where
real education is very much needed
especially education about the Soutl
and about the negro. In SO far al
the Ogden movements upon the SOutl
have opened the eyes of the excur
sionists to the truth there, they hav'
been welcomed, and probably viii
continue to be welcome, even though
the sense of humor be tickled at tn
thought of any similar body of ex
cursionists from the South, if tn
thing were possible, making annua
trips to help folks in Connecticut, il
New York, in Pennsylvania, in Iii
nois or in California settle their pecu
liar social problems. But the Soutl
has hardly developed that kind @
energy.
The welcome will be warmer if 9Th
great moral show" as one of Mr.
Ogden's party characterized it las
year, avoids any occasion of embaI
raSsment as that noted in the follow
ing incident:
Referring to the statement by
SOuthern-bOrn promoter OF tn
Scheme that Southern men ''stan'
squarely for the same training 70
the blacks as for the whites, n dis
tinguished Virginian wrote min
months ago, and his article was pull
lished in the Manufacturers RecOr
of June II, 1902:
'Those who undertake to train th
negro to be the white man S assOciat
and equal are the worst enemies {
both races, however good or piou
their purposes may be.
If these people mean that the
are 20 treat white and black all alik
as American citizens on one level,
sincerely trust that they will sta
away from us and use their zeal an
their money on their own people an
try the experiment OF negro equalit
among themselves.
This gentleman described mee1
inr of the eXcursiOnists at HamptO
Institute, where he heard one oratC
proclaim that the good time wa
coming when "there shall be no Nortl
no South, no white, no black, an
another orator declare for ambitio
without limit, and added:
"While | was trying to play I'll
gentleman one of my colored frlenC
impaired to me that a leading ed'
Gator of the party had warned hi