The Brandon news., 1906-01-04

state to do for the citizen only, that
which the citizen cannot do for HIM
self. The best type of man is the self
developed man. / am deeply interest
ed in the beginning. Like the acorn
shaken from the twig by the passing
breeze, it falls into the dust below
and while it contains within its little
shell the germ Of the great oak, it re-
mains an acorn still, until the rain
falls and moistens the earth, the life
giving sun pierces its mould, and
bursting open the door Of its prison
cell. the stimulating air fans its folded
leaves into life, it rears its infant head
to the light and sends forth its ram
flying roots to gather material with
which to build the giant of the forest.
A few years of cultivation and direc-
ton and it will care for itself. So it
is with the sturdy boys and girls OF
the rural districts of Mississippi. They
need only the sunlight of an oppor-
tunity to awaken sleeping genius,
one draught from the Pierian Spring
will create thirst for knowledge that
will remove all obstacles to crafty it.
But without that opportunity, without
the whitted thirst for knowledge, the
glorious possibilities of that mind
would never be developed.
Negro Problem.
Thus far what | have said on the
subject of education has besn with
reference solely to the white child
rem. Certainly the education suited to
the white child does not suit the ne
gro. This has been demonstrated by
forty years Of experience, and the ex-
penditure in the southern states Of
nearly three hundred millions of dol
lars. It was natural and quite rea-
sonable Immediately after the civil
war, especially by those who had
made but superficial study Of the
negro, to expect that freedom, equal
educational facilities and the exam
pie and precept Of the white man,
would have the effect of improving his
morals and make better man of him
generally. But it has not, l am sorry
to say. AS a race, he is decorating
morally every day. Time has demon
strated that he is more criminal as
free man than as slave, that he is in
creasing in criminality with fearful
rapidity, being one-third more crimi-
nal in 1890 than he was in 1880. The
startling facts revealed by the census
show that those who can read and
write are more criminal than the illit-
crate, which is true Of no other ele-
ment of our population. / am advised
that the minimum of illiteracy among
the negroes is found in New England,
where it is twenty-one and seventeen
tbs per cent; the maximum is found in
the black belt, Louisiana and Missis-
sissipp and also South Carolina, where
it is sixty-ive and seven-tenths per
cent. And yet, the negro in New Eng
land is four and one-half times more
criminal, hundred for hundred, than
he is in the black belt. In the south,
Mississippi particularly, I know he is
growing worse every year. You can
scarcely pick up a newspaper whose
pages are not blackened with an ac-
count of an unmentionable crime COM
mitted by a negro brute, and this
crime, I want to impress upon you, is
but the manifestation Of the negro S
aspiration for social equality, encour-
aged largely by the character of free
education In vogue, which the state is
levying tribue upon the white people
to maintain.
Public Health.
Concerning the public health the
governor makes the following state
ment:
"First- Invest the state board Of
ucdEUQ, OF SOiuS biAll1dI OISdI1Adt1oh
with plenary power to regulate, and
control by rules promulgated, all In
fected localities.
Second Empower the governor,
acting in conjunction with the health
authorities, to use the state militia as
quarantine guards.
9Third-Let the state bear all the
expense Of maintaining the quaran
tine.
"Fourth-As it requires active CO.
operation of all practicing physicians
in the infected localities to fight sue
cessfully the yellow fever, the state
board of health vested with authority
to revoke the license Of any practic-
ing physician who refuses to obey and
carry out the rules promulgated
by the said board Of health, in infect
ed localities.
The Soldiers Home.