Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-01-05

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 been 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. 1t 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 a better man of him
generally. But it has not, am sorry
to say. As race, he is decorating
morally every day. Time has demon
strated that he is more criminal as a
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. I 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-f1ve 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, l 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, | 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-1nvest the state board of
health, or some similar organization
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.
'Third-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 infectssss6 localities to night sue
seessfully the yellow fever, the state
b0ard 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.
"The home for INDECENT Confeder-
ate soldiers established two years ago
by the state at Beauvoir, the home of
the late President of the Confederacy,
Jefferson Davis, will doubtless COM
mand a continuation of your favora-
BILE consideration. It has in truth and
in fact proven an ineffable blessing
to the homeless and penniless ex-Con-
federate soldiers of Mississippi who
have taken refuge in it. ="
The governor recommends that the
legislators provide for the establish
ment of another state charity hospi-
tai.
Child Labor.
'Tis education that forms the com
mon mind, as the twig is bent, the tree
is inclined. The greatest product of
any country is men and women, strong
Of mind and body and rugged virtues.
We cannot hope to have such if the
health of the child is impaired, its
growth stunted by hard usage, and its
mind starved by unremitting druid
gerry during the tender years of in
fancy. The age and hours of child
labor is an unquestIoned prerogative
of the state government to regulate
and it is also the duty of the state
government to do so. / submit the
question for your consideration.
Rate of Interest.
/ recommend that the contract rate
Of interest on money be reduced to
eight per cent-that being as high
as any legitimate business can afford
to pay, good public policy permit, or
conscience consent to.
"Other matters will be submitted
for your consideration later by special
message important among them the
report of the commission appointed
by me pursuant to an act of the legis-
Iature entitled IAN act to provide for
codification and annexation of all the