The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-08-01
PAGE SIXTEEN THE JEFF
Tom Watson and Foreign Missions

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them to take in hand the work to
offset the effort-of the North to
place the negro they are educating
above the uneducated white man. If
they decline it the State must act.
But voluntary action is preferable to
State action. Then we get rid of the
paternalistic idea in compulsory edu-
cation, and can utilize the benefits
to lessen illiteracy among the whites.
Then, as to the political phase of
the situation. President Taft in his
inaugural message said that the gov
eminent would not interfere with
the efforts of States to purify the
ballot in eliminating ignorance. But,
said he, the rule must be strictly
applied-that if we eliminated the
uneducated negro we must also eli
inmate the uneducated white man;
and if we attempted to hold the illit-
crate white voter by any devices,
such as the grandfather clause,
it would be question for the SUI
preme court, and as to it's decision
there could be no doubt.
Again, President Taft in his New
York speech just before he visited
Georgia. speech suppressed by the
Atlanta and Augusta papers said
the time had come when the South
must recognize the civic and the po-
litical rights Of negroes as North
ern States did; otherwise we were
resisting the will of the nation,
which in future, would not be tolera-
ted by the North.
So that we see the Republican
plan is to push negro education and
place the negro above the unedu-
Gated white man. And when the day
arrives, under the Taft plan, and the
uneducated white man realizes he is
rejected at the polls, and the "edu-
Gated" negro allowed to cast his bal
lot, then the race problem will have
attained unto an acuteness that will
be deplorable. Already the unedu-
Gated white man is sensitive over
that policy of the North to educate
the negro over him.
What is the remedy?
We can expect no help for the il
literate whites from the North. ASK
Rev. William Upshaw, known as
Earnest Willie" his experience on
that line. Talented beggar that he
is, he could not secure a cent from
the rich Baptist churches of New
York for aid to needy boys to enter
Mercer University, unless the col
lege would open it's doors to negro
students.
So we must depend on ourselves
The imperative duty is on US. We
can't afford to see the Republican
plan in operation. We must rescue
the illiterate boys and prepare them
for the ballot. Must the State re-
sort to paternalism and do it, OF
shall our great religious bodies
already organized, with machinery
in full operation, come to the rescue
and lead this movement? The con.
ditions which confront us are abnor-
NAL; we must meet them.
If Northern invasion to elevate the
negro over the illiterate white man
necessitates gradual change in oul
foreign policy, requiring in time
that our foreign missionary work be
made subordinate to our home work
then make the change as fast as cir
cumstances will permit. How, other
wise are we to meet the invasion
from the North. Our work in for
eign fields is inspired by the nobles
motives. The sacrifices of our PEG
pie to spread the GOSPEL are sub
lime.
But the war as We all know, wa!
not ended on the battlefields, no.