The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-04-29
CONFERENCE Fog EDUCATION.

to ridicule the account of the Ogden
party" given by the Manufacturer
Record. We rather liked the sarcas-
tic comment, in fact we were so much
pleased with it that we reproduced it
in The TINES. We could have no
objection to n party of Northern,
Southern, Eastern or Western people
travelling in splepdor and luxury
always like TO see the people enjoy
themselves when they have the means
to do it with, but it did look little
theatrical or Barnum like, to make
such an elaborate display, especially
by such party on such mission.
Doubtless the Columbia State will
class US with those who are unneces-
sarily suspicious Of the aim and OBJ
ject Of the Ogden movement, although
Mr.. Ogden has declared that there
'is no movement" but to us it does
look little suspicious in view of the
fact that not many months ago there
was littlo private conference 10 New
York City by leading educators in
which the question CT invoking gov
ernment aid for public schools was
discussed at some length. (Mr. Og-
den we think was present on this oc-
casion } The revival Of the Blair
Educational bill was the gist Of the
conference. We feel that we have
every reason, judging from the past,
to fear and be suspicious of such CO.
lossal philanthropy from such
source, and we confess we are not
prepared to appreciate such generos-
ity. We think that the Ogden party
has delayed their coming at least
twenty years to be of any material
benefit to the South in an educational
point. There was time in our his
tory when our treasury needed funds
for educational purposes, not now,
for we have already made our ar
rangements for that purpose, and
expect to continue to do so even at
the same sacrifice we have already
done. While Mr.. Ogden denies that
this tour is not a movement, yet in
view Of the fact above mentioned as
to government aid for public schools,
the Ogden party is gathering all the
necessary information with reference
to the condition, management and
financial relative positions of the
schools of the two races, upon which
can be based memorial to Congress
asking for government aid, such a
memorial strengthened by personal
Knowledge and observations would be
RspotSAapower to secuTe the passage,
of such a bill by a Republican Con-
gress.in this the time of indiscrimi-
nate unconstitutional appropriations.
We do not object to donations by
private individuals, but from the
government and under government
control deliver US.
Mr.. Ogden may not now admit that
this tour is movement, but we are
of the opinion that it is but prelim-
mary step toward organized effort to
obtain government aid. The fact
that several of the Southern States
have by their constitutions practical
ly eliminated the negro from the
polls and politics by educational and
property qualifications makes with
the Ogden party and their co-workers
the greater the necessity for the edu-
cation OF the negro in the South.
The News and Courier quotes the
following from the Norfolk, Virginia,
Pilot in speaking Of the Ogden party:
is it not just bit significant that
they made bee line for negro
school when they left the State?
There is the University of Virginia,
that has been heard of before. We
dare say that the tourist have heard
it mentioned, and there is William
and Mary, Randolph-M Macon, Rich
mond, Washington and Lee, and the
Virginia Military Institute, but these
tourist seem to have avoided these,
and Hampton Institute was made
the sole objective"
1t means in our judgment that this
whole movement has about boiled
down to a movement for the educa-
tion Of the negro.
The New York Sun, in speaking of
the departure of Mr.. Ogden and his
friends, said
"The first step in the tour of the
party is made in the course of an it.
inerary which provides for visits to