The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-09-25
That Negro Baptist College AGAIN.

lia' negro Baptist College Again.
because the Southern Reporter has
requested the stubborn, self-wiiled
and selfish negro Baptist leaders, So
| called leaders, in this State to heed
and consider the honorable and man.
~ protest of the white citizens of
Sumter against the location of the
proposed negro Baptist college in that
city and because we have seen ft TO
turn on the searchlight of truth so
that the people may not be any longer
deceived by this negro Baptist college
humbuggery we have been branded
as "kickers. fault finders and deriders
Of the race" and a great deal of
abuse has been heaped upon our
head by the little two-by-four. pat
ented and mud-slinging negro news
papers In this State. We readily turn
aside from these little mean and ma.
licious personal attacks as being de-
void Of argument and only meriting
the contempt and pity Of intelligent
and respectable people.
The Southern Reporter still holds
and contends that the proposed negro
Baptist College should not be erected
and 1t calls upon the negro Baptists
of this State to contribute nothing to-
wards the building Of that school for
these, among other reasons. In the
first place, the idea Of building this
college was conceived by those who
were hostile and up in arms against
that great and useful school, Bene-
dict College, and it is now being built
In opposition to that existing and pop-
ular institution. This fact has been
emphasized in associations and the
old convention by the promoters Of
the scheme and they have declared
that they will have no official connec.
ton with Benedict College. Such base
ingratitude - worse than a serpent's
tooth!
In the second place there is no real
and pressing need for this proposed
college. Aside from the availability
Of Benedict College which could easi-
ly be enlarged so as. to accommoda
many more students there are several
struggling. but worthy. secondary de-
nOminational schools in this State
which should be built up and patron
ICED by negro Baptists. In due time
and with the proper encouragement
some Of these institutions would
doubtless develop into full fiedged COL
leges. Instead of building "a little
$4,000 college" at Sumter these Sec
ondary schools should be federated
and fostered by these leaders, which
Is the dictate Of wisdom and common
sense. Again the fact must not be ov.
erlooked that the promoters Of this
college scheme are not safe leaders.
Their history and record have not
been Of the helpful and constructive
order but rather destructive and harm.
full in effect. They can point to no
mission accomplished during the past
decade. but they have admitted that
they have squandered large amounts
OF money and wrecked a costly news
paper plant. They have fully proved
their inefficiency as leaders and their
inability to lead the negro Baptists
over into the promised land Of negro
college. Finally we oppose this move
ment, because almost the entire white
population Of Sumter has protested
against it. Last week a petition was
signed by almost every white man in
Sumter protesting against the college
Observation-Disclosures Southern Re-
porter.