Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-08-08
THE COLORED MAN
The Importance of Education for
the Negro

that disfranchisement of the negro
in Georgia would entail "agita-
tion and unnecessary disruption
OF the industrial situation"
"The farmers of Georgia." it
AYERS" are beginning to realize that
however good this disfranchisment
talk may look to aspiring politi-
clans and unthinking people, it
spells disaster to Them
In reply the New York Evening
Post says that this should encour-
age the negro not a little. "Hith-
erto," it argues, ''any politici an
could raise the negro issue and go
to any lengths he chose, with little
or no protest from the whites. But
if it is to become a bad policy from
tie industrial or business point of
view, the negro may look forward
to freedom from the pestiferous
type Of 'anti-niRger' agitator. The
prosperity of the South depends
upon it's negro labor; if its politi-
clans and demagegues 90 so far in
their persecution as to make that
labor dissatisfied and discontented,
the white planters will not fail to
call q halt"
The answer to both the Consti-
tut:cn and the Evening Post is that
the Acknowledgement measures in
other Southern States have not
had the effect to run the negroes
away. So long as the South pro-
vides school facilities for negro
children, gives the black man his
rights before the law. and an OPP
portunity to gain an honest liveli-
hood and accumulate property, he
will not run away to the North
simply for the right to cast a bal
lot and be called "Mister."
On July 26.h last, the St. Paul
Farmers Conference, of Brunswick
county, was held at the school OF
thet name, and facts were brought
out which go far to substantiate
these statements. The conference
was composed of negroes, and its
purpose was to discuss everything
relating to the uplift and progress
of the race. Bishop Strange, of
North Carolina, who was IN attsn-
dance, put the question, as to the
young men, whether the confer
ence thought the tendency to go
North, TO be sober, moral, indus
trious, buy land and settle down,
was on the increase or decrease.
The consensus of opinion was that
the young men were getting more
industrious and showing a greater
tendency to purchase homes and
settle down.
In regard to the ownership OF
homes in general, it was shown oy
the reports that in each OF the nve
ma gisterial districts of the county
the proportion varied from ONE
fourth in some localities to three
fourth. in others. For instance,
e. J. Walker, Of the upper end OF
Lawrencevllle, said that in his pre-
circt the people mostly owned
their homes, hs ving farms of from
20 to 400 acres, principally paid
for. Osborne Winfield, Meredith
Vile, stated that for a distance OF
four miles down the road from his
house all the land was owned by
colored people, only two log houses
in the precinct. Ephraim Games,
Fitzhugb stated that colored people
owned all the land ia solid block
of five miles, houses mostIy fran q.
He himself had owned over l,ooo
acres, bought and paid for since
che war. He still owned 900 acres
having sold the remainder. Most
of che land in his precinct was
paid for. Alfred Steinback, Stur'
geonville, said the houses in his
precinct were mostly frame, and
the majority of the people owned
their homes. S. C. Macklin, brose'
max. said many owned their homes
and the houses were mostly frame.
Letter Was Cast Up by the Sea
With a pint bottle for a mail
pouch, letter committed to the
briny deep by Monterey boy, has
been safely delivered, old Neptune
and his sea horses performing their
part of the service with a prompt
ness of salaried employees.
Mr.. C. G. Arbogast. writing the
missiye, was on his way from New
York to Panama, having been en-
ployed as a plumber. While at
sea he wrote and bottled three let
ters, and the one just heard from
was addressed to Mr.. A. v
Hughes, of the firm OF N. ID,
White & Company, and a personal
friend of the writer.
The letter was committed to the
waves on April 10th, OF represent
year, and was washed ashore al
Georgetown, Exums, one OF the
Bahama Islands. 1t was found by
man named Emanuel Stump and
forwarded to Nj. Hughes by the
resident justice, c. II. McKeinny
As nearly as the parties can es'
innate the bottle drifted distance
of ons thousand miles.
Two other letters, written on tht
voyage and similarly mailed
have not been heard from.
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