The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-16
NO MORE FORCE BILLS
SENTIMENT OF VOCATIONAL
 CONFERENCE AT RAYMOND.
MT. Murphy Talks of the Attitude . of the North Towards Con- ditions at ths
 South,

In Montgomery again and will probably remain here till about June lst. MT. Murphy is at the Glenmore. lOn the evening of May 2s, Mir. Murphy speaks in Mntgmery, at the Theatre on the occasion of the High School com and on the night of the lst he delivers the address at similar occa- sion in Mobile. At the invitation Of fres- ident Eliot of Harvard University he Is to speak on the subject of Education at the South before the general session Of the National Educational Association at Boston on July Il, During June and July he addresses the Summer Schools for Teachers at the University of Mis- sissippi, the University of Georgia, the University of Tennessee and the Univer- sity of North Carolina He speaks be- fore the Nashville Chamber of Commerce sometime during this month, and In For ensic Hall at the University or the South. Sewanee, Tenn, during commence ment week, June 24.
 Mir. Murphy has just returned from the Conference tor Education In the south at Richmond, Va. His impressions Of the Conference were given as follows:
 The Conference met this year in Rich mond on the invitation of the LeSlsia- ture and Governor of Virginia. the state Department of Education for Virginia the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. the Ricf mond Education Association, the Uni- versity of Virginia, Washington ana Lee University, Richmond College, ana many other representative institutions of the commonwealth These invitations were not mere focmalities. I have never wit messed deeper interest. or more generous co-operation Socially as well as educa- tionally the success of the conference brought delight to all, and this result would have been impossible but for the inspiring welcome and the generous hos pitalities of the people of Richmond and Virginia.
 II hope the Conference will come to Montgomery next year. There is a cer- tain fitness in the alienation of our meet ings from the upper to the lower South' geogra phically, and from the later Cap ital to the first Capital of the Confeder- acy. But if Montgomery really wishes this great meeting 1t will be necessary for us all to open our homes and to take into our houses the larger share Of the many guests. I hope 1t can be done, put the question will have to be thoroughly canvassed.
 The discussions at Richmond showed the same intense enthusiasm noted at our former Conference. but they took form still more practical and helpful. Atten- tion was given to such subjects as the consolidation of schools and transporta- ton of pupils, the industrial education of both races, the scope and freedom of university teaching, local taxation, the
 training of teachers. the work of model
 schools, and the part of the citizens Ill aiding public education.
 Little was said upon the subject Of
 politics but these few expressions indi-
 cated what I believe to be the present tendency of the best thought of the North. They breathed a spirit of con- fdence in the South. The great speeches of St. Clair McKelway and of pr. Ly- man Abbott will long be remembered. pr. Abbott, the successor or Henry Ward Beecher, declared emphatieally for suffrage restriction, saying that man
 hood suffrage must mean manhood first and suffrage afterward.' Dr. Abbott be- lieves that the test should be squarely applied to black and white alike and that
 the law should exclude together the de-
 ficient negro and the deficient white man;
 but he looks upon the movement for suf-
 frage restriction, If fairly conducted, as a movement of incalculable value to the
 South and to the whole country.
 He believes, moreover, that the ques-
 ton should be left to the decision of the
 best forces of the South. MT. Cleveland
 we'll voiced the sentiment of multitudes of Northern men, of all classes and par
 ties, when he spoke so beautifully and
 SO generously of his confidence in the best
 white people of the South. This senti-
 ment is very deep. There Is much ap- preciation of our difficulties and much
 confidence in the disposition of the South
 to deal with these difficulties wisely, just ly and constructively.
 Tt was the same appreciation of the
 better forces of the South which in-
 spired the memorable action of MT. Rob- ert c. ogden in the Union League Club. MT. Warner Miller of New York and John S. Wise of Virginia, had succeeded in securing the introduction of a num- Der of drastic resolutions criticising the South, calling for the reduction of South ern representation, and opening up the 1 old and bitter fight for the application of force bilr penalties to the Southern States.
 When Mir. ogden arose to speak the ma ajority in the Club was clearly in fa- vor of the resolutions and many were all ready calling for the question MT. Og- den was not disturbed. He took up his defense of the South with his accustomed vigor and earnestness, and brought to | bear upon the subject his large acquaint- i ance with Southern conditions and his
 marked capacity for effective statement Cornelius N. Bliss was in the c,IIir Mir. Ogden's time was twice cxreDded and when he completed his address Ee had won his case. Two speakers came to
 his assistance. but MT. ogden led the ef- fective opposition to the resolutions and
 succeeded in defeating them. His action was a noble service to the whole South.
 Had the Union League of New HtTk
 taken this unfortunate action, other or
 ganizations would have followed, enG a
 long and bitter attack upon the South
 would have been inaugurated. It IS sig
 nificant of the change in Northern serI-
 iment that even such a Republican organ Thn Nnur Ynrk Trlhnne endNrsnd MT