The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-26
INJUSTICE TO sOUTHERNERs.

William E. Curtis, writing in the
Chicago Record Herald says: "I have
yet to hear of a rich man in the South
putting his hand in his pocket to find
money to pay the expense of educating
the masses. In the CITY of New
York alone there are many millionaires
from this section (the South) who,
Notwithstanding their pride in other re-
spects, permit the benevolent spirit of
the North to monopolize the privilege
of promoting Southern education
This is not only true of rich
Southern men who live in the North,
but 1t is even more true of the rich
men who still liveHn the South
Is it possible that, after all, Mr. Cur
It's information on the subject is very
meagre, or is it the case that the gifts
of millions by John D. Rockefeller to
the University of Chicago, in Mr.. Cur
It's city, has so affected that corre-
spondents vision that he can see no
donation that is not expressed in seven
figures? He says he has yet to hear
of a rich Southern man putting his
hand in his pocket" etc. Has the gen.
tleman never heard of George Foster
Peabody, who is at the present moment
SO earnestly engaged in promoting, by
donations of time, talents and money,
the educational movement in the
South? Mr.. Peabody was born in CO.
lumbus, Ga, July 81, 1852, and is now
a business man of New York. His
highly appreciated efforts do not bear
out Mr.. Curtis allegation that South
ern men in New York permit the be-
nevolent spirit of the North to monop-
olize the privilege of promoting South
| ern education. Has Mr.. Curtis never
heard of the Dukes and the Cars, of
Durham, N. c., and New York? The
Dukes, father and sons, have given
more than $1,000,OO0 to the cause of
education in their natine state, much
of it going to Trinity College, and Gen.
Julian S. Carr has given hundreds of
thousands. The great Tulane Uni
versity at New Orleans was built with
Southern money. Mr.. j. P. williams,
business man of this city, only re-
Gently made a splendid gift to Emory
! College, at Oxford, Ga, and Mrs.
Clinch, but a few weeks ago laid to
rest in Bonaventure Cemetery. left a
substantial bequest to the Bethesda
orphan house and school.
These are instances called to mind
on the spur of the moment. If time
were taken. a long list could be made
of Southern men and women who have
] given of their substance for the edu-
cation of their people. But the few
instances referred to will serve to dis
prove the correctness of Mr.. Curtis
statement with respect to Southerners
| and education. The reason the gifts
by Southerners have not been larger
and more frequent. as compared with
those of Northerners, is to be found in
the fact that there are relatively few
rich people in the South. The great
bulk of the wealth of the country is
owned at the North. 1t has been less
than forty years since the South was
devastated and impoverished by war.
| All that her people have in the way
of wealth has, practically. been accum-
uiated in the short period since that
war. AS the South grows richer the
donations by her prosperous citizens
/ to the schools will grow larger. That
they have given, and are giving. ac-
cording to their means. is an earnest
of this assertion. Meanwhile the
whole white citizenship OF the South,
rich and poor alike, is carrying a great
burden OF school expenses for the edu-
cation OF the masses. This burden is