Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-02-04
The Cause Of Decrease In Coun-
y Population Pointed Out.
MACON COUNTY AN EXCEPTION

Noted Educator Makes Sweeping In
vestigation Of the Situation and
Gives Reasons For the Belief He
Holds In Respect to tho Many Needs
For Better Facilities.
In discussing the need Of better edu-
cational facilities for the colored peo-
pie in the south and with special ref
erence to those In Alabama DR.. Booker
T. Washington says:
have seen considerable discussion in
the Alabama papers bearing on the Ques-
ton as to why the majority Of the black
belt" counties have during the past ten
years lost population An examination
shows that 1t is those counties that have
no large cities that have decreased In
population. Macon county, however. is
an exception, for instead Of losing popula-
ton 1t has during the past ten years in
creased in population. In my opinion
there are reasons for this. I may not be
able to state all the reasons, but l think
know at least one or two reasons why
Macon county has gone forward in popu-
lation instead Of going backward
So far as the Negro race is concerned.
I am quite sure that Macon county has
gained in population because the county
board of education has been wise enough
to encourage and help the colored people
to have good public schools in the country
districts Of the county. The average white
man does not realize that, no matter what
else the average Negro will do without,
he wants education for his children. /
am not taking time now to discuss the
wisdom of all the wants Of the Negro.
but to state why there are few Negro
families In Alabama who would be con-
tent to live from year to year in a coun-
try community that provides no public
school or q school taught In log cabin
for three or four months only during the
year. and that with very poor teacher
at its head. This condition means that
the Negro family becomes restless, dis
satisfied and seeks as soon as possible to
better its condition. and to do this 1t
moves to a community where school IA
cillties are better.
| do not believe that the leading white
people. and especially landowners of the
"black belt" counties. know how little
money some Negro schools receive.
actually know Of communities where Ne
gro teachers are being paid only from
SIS to ST per month for services for a
period of three or four months in the
year. This. Of course, means practically
no schools In making this statement !
am not overlooking the fact that even
where the disposition exists to help the
Negro public schools the money is often
lacking to large extent, but l am stat
ing facts so far as l know them. More
money is paid for Negro convicts than
for Negro teachers. About $46 per month
is now being paid for first class, able
bodied Negro convicts, $3s for second class
and $26 for third class for twelve months
In the year
One other element in the situation that
drives Negroes from the farms Of the
"black belt" counties Is this: In many of
the black belt counties when Negro
Is charged with crime mob of wild.
excited and often Intoxicated people go
securing through the country In search
Of the Negro. In many cases 1t happens.
as former Governor Jelks frankly stated,
that the wrong Negro is caught and often
iynched. There have been happenings of
this kind In the country districts which
have made many Of the best colored peo-
pie feel that the safest thing for them is
to move to a large city where they will,
receive police protection In case they are
charged with crime. The experience Of
the civilized world shows that even where
tho utmost care and deliberation IL exer-
cised on the part of lawyers, Judges and
"uIx innocent QersouS Rre aometNes Dun