The Van Buren press., 1903-05-30
| SOUTHERN
EDUCATION
THE NEGRO AT RICHMOND
The Inevitable Negro Question n, 4.
Conference for Education In tha
south at Richmond, Va.

II was inevitable that the nA,..
question should come up at the o.,
ference for education in the soop
which has just closed at Richmo,I
The imperative need of the negro q.
education would have forced il /,
nothing else had. The nationa, .b,.
acter of the movement, which Ain.
at education of all races and m
classes, would have compelled 4,
discussion sooner or later. The q,
ponents Of the movement were bonn,
TO bring it up if they could, for th.,
relied on the negro question TO arous.
pre- iudice in the south and TO ala
them in their purpose. 1t was, the,s
fore, best that the question shouH
be taken up directly by Represent
tive men from both sections, as i
was.
1t costs the northern men in IN,
educational movement nothing to d..
fine their position as to the negr
question. 1t is a position to whS
the logic of the situation direc,
them, and to which no reasonable p,
son, south or north, can object. AL
we understand, it is this: The souA
must determine for itself what n.
political and social status of the n.
gro race shall be, but whatever it IA
the controlling interest Of the souN
| and of the whole country alike d /
mands that the best possible school
| ing shall be given 10 the greatest Dos
sible number of the youth of whs,
ever parentage. The south has del
termined, as Rev. Mr.. Murphy has an
nounced, that the colored childre,
and the white children shall be taught
in separate schools. 1t could na|
well do otherwise, and the require
ment is put forward by the more il
/ telligent negroes with as much insist
ence MS by the whites, for the pr
scryation of race integrity is not b|
any means the desire or aim Of On|
race only. With this determinatia|
bv the south the northern friends n
southern education have no disagree
ment and desire not the slightest ID
reference, They accept it as a fIs
condition, costly in some ways, bull
fixed; and they are ready 10 do all
in their power, with the co-Operatia
and counsel of southern men, to ai
education in accordance with this con
dition.
The south has determined on cer
tain conditions as to the exercise n
the suffrage, which for the presen
exclude the great body of the NJ
grocs. The men active in the educ
tional movement in the south, from
that section or from the north, ms
have their individual views as TO th
justice and expedieucy Of this action
There are northerners who approve d
and sOuthcrners who disnpDroye 81
Both classes agree that it has abo
mtely nothing 10 do with educatOr
and all are working steadily al
faithfully toward a common end, qap
regardless of this matter, There 81
no earthlyrcaSonwhy they should not
II men like DR.. Alderman, of lNam
. university, Louisiana; Dr. Hill, Of th.
/ Uniy.sity Of Georgia, and DR. Dab
ncy, Of the University of TenneSes
are ready and eager, as they are, N
give their hearty cooperation to Del
educational movement, the northern
men are justified in thinking that itb
one in the best interests Of the wholl
. country.
Meanwhile the attitude Of the bes
. men OF the south, such as we hlu|
cited, is distinctly that the very inis
. pcndcncc the south claims in the d
| rrction of the political relations n
the negroes imposes on the whites
tremendous responsibility for tl'|
training Of the negroes to sefsup|
port go good character, 10 indus'1|
and intelligence, That is the pnc|
Of peace and order and prosperity 4
the south, The northern men engaged
IN the movement are willing and anS|
iouS to help 10 pay this price, Tha|
is their only doctrine as TO the negr|
question, and it is n sound and noO'
one, New York Times.