The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-15
SOUTH and THB NEGRO VOTE
NATIONAL CONFERENCE HEARS
SOME INSTANCES.

PruS. IA Bais Talk Abaut white and
Negra sehosls -Case ~ Eineated
Men Dealed FFaRchlss as IlltsrAte.
The problem Of the disfranchisement Of
the negro in the South was discussed yes-
tsrday before the National Negro Com
mlttees second annual conference In the
Charity Organization Building by the
Rev. Horace Bumstead. ex-prpSldeRt Of
Atlanta University. and Prof. W. \. B. Du
Bots Of that college. Supt William n
Maxwell presided and among those who
occupied places on the rOstrum were
Jacob u SchiH. Prof john Dewey md
Prof Kelly Miller.
DR.. Bumstead discussed Public Educa-
ton In tho South a. Affected by Disfran-
chisement' he pointed out that In any
study Of the situation u should be remem-
bered that roughly speaking the popula-
ton Of the sixteen former slave States and
the District Of Columbia Ia approximately
two white persons 10 one cOlored He
added:
According 10 the rrpOr, Of the United
states Commissioner Of Education there
were In the south last yesr attending public
echOols it2. cT white youths and 0.ttI cob
ored. In other words. there we're more
than p times a. many white youths in pub
~ high schools As to the number Of public
high schools the whites have zoos and the
blacks H.. or the whites more than ~
times ~ many AZ the blacks.
In contrast the speaker said that the
Commissionsr's report showed that In the
private high schools Of the same district
there are 77.sSo white pupils and S.iOS
colorsd, or nearly nine times a. many
white as colored. and added: 1t viii b.
noticed that the disparity here. willis
great. IL not % great as IN the oase Of tho
pubic high schools. This means that the
oolOred people are actually paying for the
secondary education Of their children
N private schools in larger proportion
RuI9eFioally than arr the Whits people
AZ the close Of Mr.. Bumsteads talk
negroes gave some experiences u dis
inanchisement, men who had personal
knowledge % conditions In the South.
4 graduate Of a Louisiana college. Il wa
aid. was never allowed 10 vote In any
elegtion although he was carrying on an
independent farming business valued at
$4,000. and was on friendly terms with
The SUGAR planters who controlled tho
electiOns. and could get almost unlimited
credit from them. A professor Of the
sane university, 4 was said. paid the
poll tar IN NsW iberia but was not al
lowed 10 register or vote.
Similar conditions were found in vir-
Rinia, according TO the testimony of those
who had investigated the sitIation there.
In that State three graduates % Hampton
Imalfatrea 90 - uaNs.rN md .ng ~
Purdue University were crossed Of
the registration list ON the ground that
they had not been able 10 an out their
blanks properly and were haired by the
lhtcracy clause in the State law Three
Of the i've men took their cases 90 court
and were successful.
n North Carolina, Il was said, investi. |
gatlon had shown that the percentage I
81 those who vote a. compared with those /
entitled 70 vote was very small. and u /
was added that -the sentiment u white I
people y strongly antagonistio 10 negro /
suffrage.
Prof Duy BoIs told the conference
thar i9as was the year when black voters /
came into power In south Carolina and 4
that the first and greatest gift Of the /
negro 10 South Carolina was the public I
school system He ADDED that the same /
was true Tor practically every state
NuAuh - ahio" WAsttAnuuA14N INV NiaNA I
voters.
Prof. Du Bots said that most Of the
neero public schools IN the south exist
under the diEfavor 81 the majority u the
white, many white employers fruwuing
upon them because they believe that thew
make labor Dissatisfied and aggressive
The white lahorers, he said dislike the
negro schools because they increase com
petition. The result he said IL that
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schools a. compared with white schools
there is an Attempt to decrease the EN-
ciency Of negro schools. ths forward
movement among white schools il made
impossible and improbable among negroes .
and Acknowledgement has led 10 peculiar
cases 81 discrimination among the whites.
based largely upon properly"
The attitude OF some people In the
south toward the education OF the negro I
was illustrated, Prof Du Bois thought.
BY the action u HOko smith, * Governor
OF Georgia. and a. such a member Of the
State school board. Prof Du Bots said
that Hoke Smith made speeches oil ovef
Georgia advocating the overthrow ~ the
negro school and said In one speech.
You must stop negro education. To do
% you should put u 10 the negro schools
negro teachers who ars not able 10 do the
work. u you do 10 YOU will put a check
70 negro euueatiou. I'D not Ouef induce
ments 10 highly trained negro teachers. %"
The permanent organization % the
national committee was discussed Plans
were alBO male 70 secure greater pub
hCity for the movement by tho puhlica-
lion Oi tracts containing the proceedinns
Of the present and previous corfercpoo.
Prof. Du Bois a. chairman % the con-
Initiee Of fifteen read % the conference
the names Of these chosen to serve on
ths committee u ore hundred which IL
70 81 large tho scope Of the work and make
II permanent. Among those chosen 10
serve are tho Rev W u Brooks, Prof
John Dewey, Paul Kennedy. jacob W
Mack. Mrs. N. d. Maclean. DR.. henry
MOskOwitz. John " Nilholland. Charles
Edward Russell. the Rev Joseph Sitter
man. Prof. Edwin r, A. Seligman, Bishnp
Alexander Walters. DR.. stephen s. Wis.
the Rsv. J. n. Holmes o. YOnkers, Prof
w. L. Buckley 81 Ridgefield Park. n. J.;l
Miss Maria Baldwin OF Boston, Albert
=. Pillsbury OF Boston. Miss Jane Adams
~ Chicago, DR.. William Sinclair Of Phila-
delphia. Mas Susan Wharton Of PhilAdel-
phia, /. NJ Hershaw. Judge stafford.
Mrs. Mary Church Terrell and the Rev
]. ~ Waltron, all Of Washington, and
Prof. On Bola Of Atlanta and Leslie Pinck-
nsy Hill Of Manassas. Va.
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