The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-15

OF to-day Is a far greater menace to So
ciety and civilization than when We
started this education: poor encourage
ment In that direction!
The solution of this problem is the
burning question Of the day and In The
worthy OF the best efforts OF the best
nnds The white mar has to solve II, as
thta is and always will be, hls country.
Let us throw aside sentiment, and york
10, something practical Teach the rank
aid file to be efficient laborers. rs this
must necessarily be their llfe's work;
this will be n benefit to then, and to the
community, III which they live. So long
as they nre taught by teachers Of their
race. hostility to the white man. Just
so long will they be the chief sufferers
from such teaching. II there are some
who can succeed In the profession. let
them no ahead; the way Is clear. but 1t
is wrong and worse than useless to
make fools of the rank and file by teach
inr them or holding out hopes to them
that they can i've without working forit
ROBERT BEVERLY.
Carct. Essex county, Va. May 2, 1901. :
We give prominence to this com,ntini-
cation from Mr.. Beverly for the reason
that it emphasizes the opinion which we
have expressed that the average ~hite
man is opposed to giving the negro III
erary education, because he believes mat
tho negro was intended to be tho SER
vont Of the white man, and that he ought
not to receive any education that VIII
take him out OF that position. Our cor
RESPONDENT is a good and Intelligent cltl-
zen, and bis views are entitled to re-
spectful consideration. But his doctrine
IS wholly illogical, us we shall proceed
to show.
AS for the question OF social equality,
We shall not discuss that, because It IS
not subject Of discussion The whites
OF the South will not associate with the
negro no matter how cultivated he may
be, and we do not see what TINT has
to do with the question Of education.
Nor do we see what tho political ques-
ton has to do with It, The Anglo-Saxon
race is quite capable OF taking care or
itself, and there is under our form OF
government no inherent right either to
vote or to hold Office. Voting is Il privt-
lego conferred under restrictions and
regulations, which each State Is at lib
crty to make for itself, and in all cleo
tive offices 1t is for the voters, to say
who shall serve. But in other respects
our form of government contempates
equal rights and equal opportunities to
all. Each person has the same right
that every other person has to get an
education, to develop his talents, to cul-
tivate his mind, to improve his mental
and moral conduct, to acquire property,
to hold and enjoy his property. and to
rise as high as he may rise by his own
merit and exertion. ThisSis not, MS Mr..
Beverly contends, equivalent to forcing
the negro to an equality with the white
man. 1t Is simply giving the negro the
same opportunity that the white man has
to improve his condition, and We contend
TINT In fairness, in justice and In ac-4
cordance with the doctrine of democracy
the negro is entitled to that opportunity
But Mr.. Beverly does not think So.
He says that the smatterinE Of book
| learning which the negro is receiving
! is driving him from the farm, too proud
to work, to the cities. whore he Is a
terror, ETC. 'rWo. the farmers and tax
payers" says he. "who are paying for
his schooling, can SEQ no good result from
the methods now pursued and should We
be blamed for complaining when 1t looks
| as II We were paying for removing the
agriculture rests We contend that there
/ is no opening for the vast majority Of
| negroes to make an honest living except
as aborers, and when you destroy his
! usefulness as a laborer, you do him In
| calculable harm, which is not only felt
| And again, he asks: IF we educate the
negro. who Is going to take his place
as a laborer?"
There you have the proposition frankly
| stated. The negro must be kept in sub
jectIon must be deprived Of the right
Of schooling, In order that he may work
for the white man. Mr.. Beverly says that
he waits for an answer to his question.
We ask him another question. If the
negroes had never been brought here
or IL they should now be removed, who
would do the work OF the white man?
Upon Mr.. Beverly's theory there must
be laboring class and some men would
have to be deprived Of the right to I'M
prove their condition In order that there
might be farm hands and buffers and
cooks. We protest against any such cruel
and undemocratic doctrine. We protest
against Keeping any man In subsection
and deprivng him of opportunity In or
der to make him the servant OF another
man. That question comes homo to the
white man as we'll as to the negro. and
we resent the suggestion In whatever
form 1t may arise, because 1t comes homo
to us.
There has always been serving class,
without respect to race and perhaps
there always will be. But in Gods name
and In the name of democracy. we insist
that every man In this country shall
have tho opportunity to lift himself out
of that class and improve his situation
IL, man Ia nhlo 70 in, live.