The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-08-16
THE NEGRO PROBLEM.
BY PHlNEAs FLETCHER.

at large. This is becoming the general
conviction. At the annual convocation of
the University of New York in June last,
presided over by Chancellor William Cros-
well Doane, Episcopal Bishop of Albany,
the principal address, which was made by
Regent Charles A. Gardner. was devoted
to this subject. He held that as the south
ern states unaided, could not educate the
negro, it was the duty of the general gov
eminent to do so; and that as a corollary
to its power to enact uniform education
al qualification in election laws, the gov
eminent was invested with full authority
in this respect. Endowed" said he, with
omnlpotent sovereignty to educate the peo-
pie, I maintain that education and educa-
ton alone, is the nations supreme obli-
CATION
The statistics of negro illiteracy in some
of the southern states is appalling. In one
county Of Mississippi, the negroes out
number the whites three to one, and in
the country districts ten to one. In them
not more than one per cent of the rural
blacks have had common school educa-
ton. To accomplish any more would
mean the practical confscation of the
property of the white population. In the
last census reports the fact is set forth
that In Alabama there are 33S, 605 illiterate
colored children of ten years old and up
ward, or nearly fifty per cent of it's en-
tire black population. Georgia has total
negro population Of over a million Near
ly one-half of them cannot read or write
OF the million. four hundred thousand
blacks in the two Carollnas, half million
of them are equally ignorant with those in
Georgia. One third of all the negroes in
Mississippi nearly a million in number
are without any schooling whatever. TAX
ing the south as a whole. not far from
one-half of the colored people are in dense
ignorance and nearly certain to remain
in that condition. Owing to natural
causes the situation is becoming worse
every year. Unless remedial measures are
applied and that quickly the next census
will disclose far more deplorable condi-
lions than the last one
The Jeffersonian prophecy, that is the
second part of it, must not in the interest
of humanity and civilization be allowed to
get farther along on the road to fulfill
ment. The black race has amply shown
that under moderately favorable condi-
lions 1t has within It the mental and
moral qualities that go to make a pros
porous people. In many respects its prog
res has been marvellous It's capacity for
good government with a white environ
ment cannot be doubted. What Y can do
standing alone Is still an experiment. not
as satisfactory, 1t is true. as some of its
enthusiastic friends had expected, but
nevertheless not yet foredoomed to failMe
1t is among ourselves, that the real test
of Its governmental ospability is to be
made, and results prove that with time
and patience 1t will succeed. At all events
the negro is here 70 stay and It is equally
manifest that to his former condition he
can never be returned. The nation has
given him freedom. 1t must even at this
late day fit him for it. Not TO do so will
be to 1t a greater calamity than was the
slavery from which he was rescued.