The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-15
SUNDAY, MAY IS. 1904.
And Who Is My Neighbour
Editor OF The Times Dispatch:


as observation-disclosures, those who do not see
any good coming to he rank and file by
the present mode of educating the ne
gro. and you go on TO say that we
d.'wold keep the negro In subsection, and
In condition OF virtual slavery to the
white man." and without any assumption
on the part of tho white man OF the care |
and protection of the negro, and init
mate that we are unjust to the negro |
and this you think will revert upon the
white race In thus expressing your |
views OF our side Of the controversy, you |
have done us an injustice that we do |
not deserve; we would not be unjust TO
the negro: would treat him right and |
so far rs the feeling towards him in this |
section is concerned, 1t Is altogether
friendly, az long as he behaves himself.
But we CONTEND and rightly, that 1t Is |
unjust and wrong to give him all educa-
3 tion that puts false hopes into his head
( An education that encourages him IN
3 Ills Wild delusion to hope for the phantom
y of equality. with the white man, that
never can and never will be realized and
If you mean by keeping him In subjec-
ton that we would deny him the
realization of this wild dream, and the
yet more prosperous one OF social
equality. and negro supremacy. we plead
guilty to the charge. and think it n
great deal better to be honest and frank
for all that this ambition, which at
heart is their ultimate hope, is never to
be attained IN this world. 1t appears
that the great difference IN our treat
ment of the negro's education, In this
controversy, and we are both sincere III
wishing to better his condition, Is that
one sido is educating him as II he were
an Anglo-Saxon, while the other side
recognizes tho vast gulf between the ma
lures Of the races fixed there by their
a Creator, which man Is powerlcss TO
change. This misguided Northern idea OF
forcing the negro TO an equality with
the White man was started by those who
did not know but arc Fast learning, his
nature. Is 1t for the negros good to
continue this teaching to create hopes
tina, must he dashed to tho ground and
cause him untold dangers? We answer,
No Whittier Is his present education
leading him? What callings In life Is It
opening for tho rank and file to make
an hcncst living? We have shown in a
former article that 1t Is dcpriving him
OF earning living us a laborer, although
he made an ideal one. by his entertaining
the vain hope Of living without work
i Ing between the pillow handles. If the
other side claims that is worse than
slavery for him to work there, we ask
and wait for an answer. who is going
to take that place? Somebody has to
fill It. There is no slavery attached to
1t, either He could earn sufficient
wages to make comfortable living. and
be contented and happy. but the little
snattering of book learning that he Is
getting is driving him from the farm,
too proud 10 work, to the cities, where
he is q terror to every lady who VEN
lures out alone, and where he Is n con-
slant. though unwilling. attendant OF
the Police Court. Is this lettering his
condition? We, tho farmers and tax
PAYERS, who are paying for his schooling
can see no good results from the methods
now pursued aAd SHOULD we be blamed
for complaining when 1t looks as If we
were paying for removing the supports
on which the fabric of agriculture rests.
We contend that there Is no opening for
the vast majority of negroes to mako
an honest living, except as laborers, and
when YOU destroy his usefulness as n
laborer. You do him an incalculable
harm. which is not only felt by him, but
by all kinds of business. Would any
ono be rash enough to contend that the
education he Is getting is calculated to
make HIM a better laborer? we answer
only where he gets an Industrial train
ing The common school education that
Professor Mitchell recommends totally
units him for farm work; after going
TO school for years II he comes to the
farm. he has no more experience than
If Just landed from Ethiopia and with
the fearful encumbrance of being dlssat-
isfcd, sour and dscontented with his
station an inefficient hand, carrying
through life the disappointed hopes OF
ambitions failed being trained by an
education Go think himself as deserving
better place than laborer and being
at last obliged to take II. AS has been |
nggested by brother farmer, 1t wouiu |
be Just as absurd TO train all horses TO
be race horses or hunters. where would
. q .tt. H.. ~.
cheron and the mule? Hadn't you Just
as we'll abandon the farm as TO pursue
such n suicidal policyf Or would you try
10 make Il race horse OF the mule. and IL
you could through unborn generations
OF untiring effort and countless expense
succeed what would you, after making
race horse of him. put In his place.
10; let us be fair. The negro is no
slave; he has the option Of the whole
world to work out his salvation in and
he has TO work II out himself History
fails 10 give an instance of where any
race or people have ever risen except
through their own efforts. Let us en-.
courage him 10 work and not call work
slavery. Teach him II Is honorable, and
not lure him on with false hopes that
must. II continued inevitably meet with
q rude awakening, for wherever he goes
he win find out he is negro still, He
can get an honest living by the sweat
OF bis brow, and be contented and hap
py, a Useful factor In the community,
and such a future is in store for him
and only few can ever hope to be any
thing else, whether they will or no If
you will persist in giving him book learn
Ing, for heavens sake, try and develop
The moral Side which has not had many
lessons taught since 1861. This the re-
lIgious side Professor Mitchell puts first
which In practice Is now, the last Tie
Aosaie code only baing known 10 violate
It, Let the Ogden movement push this
feature In his character, which seems
utterly neglected. u THIS propoganda is
common school education. We would say
that after forty years OF money spent
and earnest effort. the educated product