The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-10

oounery. The proDiem or selr-help, of }, local aid by taxation, has solved the lauestion in every town in every State. North and South of over four thous- and inhabitants and probably in every town of over thousand: certainly in
 most of the latter. If local aid will accomplish this result in our towns : and cities Of more than one thousand
 population. why would not the same aid accomplish the same result in our
 rural communities7
 F But there Is another side to the pic- ture. I dislike to dwell upon it, but
 Dr. Dabney says that in 1870 the negro illiterates outnumbered the whites bv s0,00o, but that in 1900 the white init crates outnumbered the negroes by i277.000. That in June. 1900, there were in the United States, 2.326,o0O persons over 21 years of age unable to read or write. Of this number 977,000 were of the negro race and 1,254,000 of the white race. Contrast these figures with 1870. In that year there were S3s,00o negro illiterates. against 74s,- 900 white illiterates. Of the white H. literates large proportion was for eign born. 565.0o0. But the number of native born is 6sS.000 or 113,oo0 more than the foreign born. illiterates. Of all Of this number of native born white flliterates, the overwhelming majority Is in the Southern States and Alabama has an undue proportion.
 Let us go a step further. In the eight counties of Blount. Cherokee. Cleburne, Cullman. Winston, Marion. DeKalb and Jackson, there were 18.154 white illiterates over ten years of age in 1900 against s.4s2 negroes Contrast these with eight other counties in this State. in which the white illiterates number only 2,071 against 112,794 ne- groes. The percentage of illiteracy among the negro population of the State of Alabama was reduced in the decades from 1880 to 1900 from so.s to 67.4 per cent, or over 23 per cent. .. while in the same time the reduction or white flliteracy was only lO2 per cent.
 Can any one contemplate these fig. ures without feeling that they deserve consideration? We have heard a great deal about the negro problem in the South. We are disposed to sympathize and commiserate with ourselves upon the existence of this problem, and we have friends who feel that 1t is the only one we have to vex us: but, I say to-day, that the South has done it's duty to the negro race whether before or since the war. His progress in slavery was greater than 1t was in savagery, and his progress as free | men In the Southern States has been all that any one could expect. | The percentage of illiteracy among the negroes over ten years of age in the South Atlantic States was reduced from s5 per cent. in 1870 to 47.l per cent. in 1900. and in the South Central States from S6 per cent. in 1870 to 4s. per cent. in 1900. During the same pe- riod of time, we have been told bv an great an authority as the distinguish ed commissioner of education of the United States, that up to 1899 the South had appropriated $109, ,000, ,000 for the education of the negro race As this enormous sum has increased at the rate of six and one-haIf millions of dollars per annum since 1899. we find the startling total of more than one hundred and forty millions of dollars have been contributed by the South to 1 the support of negro education since the war. Of this sum less than five million dollars was paid by the negro The Southern whites have, therefore given to the negro every dollar of tax which he paid and have added there to to the magnificent total of more than one hundred and thirty-five mill Hons of dollars A voluntary contrfbu- ton from one race for the benefit of another without a counterpart in the history of the human family!
 Contrast these figures with the, rec ord of fifteen Northern States. In Maine the per cent of negro illiteracy has increased from 10.S per cent. in 1870 to 25 8 per cent. in 1900
 In Wisconsin from 2s.6 to 39.6 per cent.
 In Minnesota from fl to 41.2 per cent.
 In Montana from 12 to 4s.2 per cent |
 n Nyn ty,ar 0l q cent.
 In Arizona from s5.s to 7s.s per cent
 In Nevada from s.s to s6.s per cent.
 In Utah from 3S.2 to 52 per cent.
 In Washington from 33.1 to 36 per | cent
 In Oregon from 26 s to s6.1 per cent.
 In California from 9.6 to 31.1 per cent.
 In North Dakota since 1880 from 44.2 to 59.2 per cent.
 In South Dakota from 442 to 51 per cent.
 And in the Western division of the United States this negro illiteracy has increased from Is to 42.s per cent.
 In the North Central and North At lantic divisions representing the veal thy and populous States of the East and the Middle West, there has been
 
 rate which will not compare with the South
 contrast these figures in no spirit of criticism and I am aware that the percentage of negro population in some of the Northern and Western States, to which I have referred, Is so small as to make the comparison of but little value, but insert them fin these remarks In order that 1t may be made known that the South has nobly and grandly responded to whatever obliga- tons existed upon her with reference to this unfortunate race. Today tho rights, the happiness, and the future of the negro race is better preserved and pet ter protected in the South than in any other part of the globe. There has never been a question raised since the day the English Cavalier first set foot upon the historic ground of Jamestown to the present time. that the South has failed, eitner in peace or war. 10 rise to the height of every question, to discharge the duty of every crisis. to bear witho1t complaint it's part of every burden and to do it's full share in maintaining un- te ernished the national honor. Show me that page o1 our country's history which has not been made brighter by the wis., dom of her statesmen and the valor of her arms! The history of the South is a glorious , and inspiring one and 1t has wisdom statesmanship and honor enough among Its own peolpe to meet every ,, to solve and rightly solve l, nN cry question that is presented to # l