Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-03-17
VARDAMAN VETOES
THE APPROPRIATION slIL Foa
TIE NEGRO NORMAL
SCHOOL, LOCAL At HOLLY SPRINGS
Governor Gives lengthy ana weishty
Sessona Ger HIS Aetion-says Ne Ia
tire Neero's Friend. But Ne Doe.
Not Think the Education intended
Would BE of Benert TO the Race.

Jackson. Miss. March ~ For the
nrst time since hts induction into the
ofico u chief executive. Gov var,la
man th'' sftcrn0ou exercised The veto
power The bill which cnmcs under
the ban " his disapproval ls the ap-
preparation measure for the state Nor
ma School a nscrp educational iusti
tuition located az Holly Springs The
governors principal reason Tor veto.
ting the bill Is that. In his opinion the
school does not give the proper kind
of education fur the negro The veto
msssag" Is rather salty document.
and is in fnli a. follows
March lt isot
To ,hr House u Representative
have considered With great car.
house bill No go. an act Tor the
support Of the state Normal si linIlv
Springs" and herewith return 10 wua
out my approval
The .'' ' should he usrd with
ION. aud then only ar
.atiun and werc uat
moved lfouut sense ~ duty /
should myself the regret which
grpwa disagreement with both
house the State legislature The
amount uf money involved iu mi.
measure Is Of trifing importsnc, the
principle Is all II thought the char
acter of education sur the negroes ~
Mississippi for which this school is
intended would produce beneficial re.
suits. I should most earnestly insist
that the sum ~ money proposed 10 be-
appropriated for that purpose b. in
creased an hundred fold But II does
not ON the contrary. many years of
experience has demonstrated that the
effect Is prrnicinus rather than help.
To ihe unthinking. sentimental
-arist whose profound misiniofma
uon of tho matter Is marvellous. or tho
reason paralyzed. sordid materialist
whp views the question from afar or
tho proposition 10 educate twithuut r.
gard TO the character of educationt Is
accepted ~ thing from which good
must unfailinsly hlw Now. while the
organic law ui the nation. Ignoring all
physical facts and truths vindicated
by experience. make no distinction
between the white and black races
hut rather prohibits discrimination in
this. that no State shall deny ta any
person within lis jurisdiction pruter.
tinn under the law" or "abridee any
right on account Of race color or
previous condition ~ seryitudr 90 vet
there Is nothing In these provisions
10 prohibit the State from providing
the necessary means anI facilities for
education suited to the peculiar In
herent moral. mental aud physical
qualities ~ the negro. The schools
and methods of instruction suited q
the white race do not III tho uerre
Let that fac' b. Kept perpetuAllv Do
fore us II will b. rememhersl that
the real negro in America Is tut one
step Tin the lie of racet rer-ov n
from the bondage ~ harbarisfp and
fetch worship In the land To which
he springs indigenous his f0refathers
now live and have lived from the da,
when mans first footprint was made
on this earth in a condition of mental
and moral darkness. and in America
where he has attained degree of civ
ilization he is yet deficient absolutcl,
in those moral qualities which ar,
necessary to form the substraium mp
on which 10 build enduring charaeie-
Men who have devoted intelligent and
honest thought TO the subject and
tearles ly pursued Investigation witt
the view of discovering the truth have
found some curious things regarding
negro mentality You may take q
young negro. fresh from the iuneles
OF Africa. and the readiness with which
he learns 10 read and write Is r.
markable. but IL Is all done like IN,
parrot in imitation OF somebody else
Literary education the knowledge ol
books-does not seem to produce any
good substantial results with the ne
gro. but serves rather 20 sharpen his
cunning. breed hopes that cannot b.
fulfilled. inspires aspirations that can
not be gratified. creates an inclination
to avoid honest labor. promotes indO
lcnce. and in turn leads to crime Thai
Is the true story of tho life of tht
average negro. the correctness oi
which will hardly be questioned bi
an 0bservani student of the subject
Proof Is Abundant.
The community in which the State
Normal School is located will. II de
sired. furnish abundant proof aionl
that line Mississippi has been an,
is. indeed. kind to her negro citizenTy
No people on earth have ever ha,
as much done for them by their gov
ernment. 10 which they have con
tributed SO little Of material help ans
moral worth. as the negroes Of Mis-
sissippi The public schools through
out the State four for four months .aHC
in the delta counties, where the ne
Eroes live In large numbers. tn,
schools run fro five 10 seven months
affording superior school facilities fol
the negroes To those enjoyed by tn,
white children who live IN the NOR,
sparsely settled hill counties wisi
il understood that my objection 20 this
bill does not grow out OF a spirit ol