Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-12

towns, which attract the idle, shiftless,
improvident and vicious elements. The pris-
ons are recruited from the towns, where
even the beSt-intentioned negro boy will
soon learn bad habits if he allows himself
to remain idle, and that unfortunately is
the tendency of the race. This is all the
more serious on account of racial antip
athy.
In the villages and rural districts I see
some improvement. The one-roomed cabin
is gradually going away; the schools and
churches are improving; there is less su-
perstition and better understanding of
religion; we are getting a better class of
preachers, both as to the character of their
preaching and the manner of their living.
This is largely due to the influence of the
colleges and schools which furnishing
every year numbers of qualified teachers
and better educated class of preachers.
1 use the term "a large number in the
comparative sense. Unfortunately, how
ever, the number is much smaller than it
ought to be.
The suppression of the negro vote has
not deprived that race of it's ambition or
it's desire to improve and to know. Every
school for colored students in the south is
crowded to overlooking, and thousands are
turned away every year for lack of accom-
moda lions, which is the most lamentable
thing occurring in the southern states to-
day. The white people regarding indus
trial education with greater favor, and
while the graduates of the industrial
schools are but a drop in the bucket and
are easily lost from sight in the great
masses of the colored population, we hear
good reports about them constantly. They
have done exceptionally well as mechanics,
tradesmen. cattlemen, teachers and preach
ers. In this city of Jackson We have three
negro contractors who do more building
than all of the rest of the town combined;
and you will hear them spoken of as men
of character and responsibility. Two of
them are graduates of Alcorn College, which
is well conducted, with about 800 students,
and is turning out lot of good men every
&c M
trial school is the solution of the race
problem, for it teaches its students the
dignity of labor, the advantages of indus
try and honesty and keeps them out of
politics and other mischief They train
men and women to make the best of their
talents and to be useful citizens"
What the State is Doing.
What is the state of Mississippi doing
to improve the condition of its negro popu-
lation?' 1 ac,led.
1T is doing a good DEAL replied Bishop
Galloway. Not by any means much
as it should do but more than it has done;
and it is accomplishing good results through
the industrial schools. The people of the
state do not sympathize with Governor
Vardaman in his views about negro educa-
ton. Public sentiment is against him. We
believe in educating cOlored teachers be-
cause they are absolutely necessary for
negro schools. White people will not teach
teachers the schools would have to close,
which would be a calamity. We believe in
giving every child a common school edu-
cation, and the hand should be trained with
the mind; and where boys or girls show
more than ordinary intellectual ability they
are entitled to college education.
II do not believe the charge that educa-
ton has a bad effect upon the morals of
colored men or women. There may have,
been individual cases, but have never seen
the proof. On the contrary. while negro ed
ucation is now imperfect and defective, not
a single case of assault has ever been
traced to a student of our Industrial or
Christian schools. To stop these crimes to
prevent lynching, we must ask the coop
GRAFTON of decent celored people. They can
do more to prevent the horrible events that
have occurred down here than the white
police or authorities, if they are permitted
to do so.
Negro Education Necessity.
1.-THE education of the negro is not only
a duty, but necessity. 1t Is an economical
as we'll as a moral proposition. The pros
perity of the south depends upon elevating
the character of the negro, improving his