The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-29

teachers and preachers to lay down the divine law-to say nothing of our worthy l human statutes-is being properly carried I out Why is it we are turning out from 1 some of our schoos-many of them-boys and girls with no sense whatever Of the l rights of property There is a feeling 1 that this result can hardly be accden- tai. These are the boys and girls who make our loafers and our thieves. They represent the great burden honest men and women must labor for and support. ! Teachers are turning out these loafers and worse, and are paid for the discipline and instruction by the sacred cash of the state.
 '~rhe teachers-that sacred calling next to the ministry itself-are either grossly indifferent to the great work they have in hand or are deliberately leading the children in their care to violate the statutes of God and man. These are strong words. but can any man reflect on the situation and conclude that the language is exaggerated.
 Where the Remedy.
 What shall we do for a remedy? We have heard it said and preached with some force, and from high authority, that the abolition of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments of the constitution of the United States would furnish some
 
 laziness and dishonesty. The possession of certain political orr civil rights neither produce nor prevents crime.
 ''I may not know a remedy but l can surely say that as soon as Il great ma jority of the people on every block in every city and every country turn out to | capture the thief and as well exclude the loafer from their confidence the tension of the races will give way and this must come before we may hope to assume our old relations of kindly sentiment to- wards each other. Ii is a time for the better classes of the two people to have an understanding with each other, and that l might add something to that end is the purpose | had in offering these remarks
 "I might further suggest, in a hunt for a remedy, that if there be ministers who avoid unpleasant allusons to God AL mighty's phiipics against theft, that they may be given an opportunity to plough instead of preach I would be almost willing for the legislature to provide for license for preachers and an eXamina- ton. before one could be secured. 1 would not require the board to look too critical- ly into the applicants fitness for polemi- cal discussion along the lines of a higher law, but rather towards examining his hands that they be clean. Too many peo- pie are floating away into some sweet alyslan with other peoples property in their hands. One cannot afford to hold stolen goods in his cold, dead hands 1 very greatly desire to see such happy people arrested in their march to the great beyond by the irresistible door of Gods order It would serve the pur- pose of this land better if they could meet the door much this side of deaths portals.
 Look to Teaching.
 q could hope further that if there be school teachers who are turning out from their doors an undue proportion of boys and girls who look upon the eighth com mandment with no concern, that his case be inquired into. How is it that he takes the states money and shows no fruit? Cut him down, as was the divine order against the fig tree. l mean it were in- finitely better that we had fewer teachers than some other things we are getting. This is radical talk. It is It is intended to be so There is much that is infinitely worse than ignorance, and We are getting it in this state from some of our eolored schools. It Is better for the black race and better for the white race that inc radical knife be laid at the root of some of our troubles.
 We may find some assistance in our fighf on the present situation by a more general attack on vagrants l am assnm- ing that never before was such an at- tempt made to legislate against the loafer as will follow the meeting of the coming legislature. 1t will probably undertake to define how much work q man must do in given week to escape the sentence of the law for yagrancy. Shall he work forty or fifty; or shall he be considered immune if he works five hours or ten? The Whisky Dives. "In this connection, I will recommend that the legislature name the lowest license d city of a certain class may re-