The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1912-04-20
OF
THE PACE BILL
Senate Measure Which Aims to
Equa|lze School Funds.
WOULD BENEFIT BOTH RACES.

Section Three Eliminated at Suggestion
Of Southern Senators Should Be Re-
inserted Before the Document 10
Finally Voted Upon-Importanes Of
Retaining Main Features Shown.
Washington. - A measure Of far
reaching consequences to the future of
material aid to public education Is en-
bodied in senate bill No. 8, now wait
ing action on the calender Of the
United States senate. The bill was
introduced by Senator Carroll 3. Page
Of Vermont and Is entitled "A bill to
cooperate with the states in encour-
aging instruction in agriculture, the
trades and industries and home eco
nomics in secondary schools, in main
tanning instruction In these vocational
subjects in state. normal schools, in
maintaining extension departments in
state colleges Of agriculture and me-
chanic arts and to appropriate money
and regulate its expenditure" AS orig
inally drawn by Senator Page, the bill
contains the following provision:
Section g. That In states where separate
schools and departments of schools and
colleges are maintained for the colored race
the allotment Of money for the encour-
agement Of instruction in the aforesaid
vacations shall be In proportion to the
population Of the two races respectively,
and whether the districts for agricultural
secondary schools for the two races are
coterminous or not coterminous their to-
tai number shall be determined by the
number Of districts permissible under this
act.
The bill as reported from the com.
mittee on agriculture and forestry
does not contain this provision. The
provision which directs that an equi-
table portion of the moneys appropriate
ed shall go to the colored schools
was stricken out at the suggestion of
Senators Hoke Smith Of Georgia, FL
lison Smith of South Carolina and John
L. Bankhead Of Alabama. 1t is of the
greatest importance that this provi-
sion be reinserted In the bill before 1t
passes the senate.
The state schools Of the higher grade
for Negroes in the states represented
by the senators objecting to section 8
Of the Page bill get practically no sup
port from these states. but are being
supported out Of the Morrill, fund from
the United States, and even this Is not
equitably distributed. In proof Of this
statement the following figures. taken
from the annual report Of the expert
ment stations for the year 1909, are
cited in relation to state schools for
Negroes and whites In Alabama. Geor-
gia and South Carolina, the three states
whose senators object to the distribu-
tion Of public funds I'm proportion to
the population Of the two races" The
state school for whites in Alabama has
permanent funds and equipment val
ued at $75S,470; the school for Negroes
at $132.852.
The state school for whites in Geor-
gia has values of the same kind
amounting to 81 $50, s88, the school for
Negroes $5S,649 The state school for
whites In South Carolina has funds
and equipment valued at $1.1S5,5S1.
the school for Negroes $254.55O. The
Negroes of Georgia are 48 per cent Of
the population. Georgia received from
the treasury of the United States in
aid of colleges Of agriculture and me-
chanic arts $4,000 in 1909. The Ne
groes' share of the money, If distrib-
uted in proportion to the population Of
the two races" would have been
$4,000.
What he receives in lieu Of the land
script fund Of 1852 Is $500. In Geor
gia. therefore, In 1909 the Negro should
have received Of funds Of national
source $24.10O. He actually received
but $19.668. Georgia maintains eleven
congressional industrial high schools
for white people at public expense, but
not one for colored people. The United
States government spent $1,000 for
agricultural experiment stations In
Georgia In 1909. Practically none Of 1t
was expended in the interest Of colored
people. There are in Georgia seventy
two federal agents stimulating agricul-
tural interests among the white farm
ers and only two among Negro farm
ers.
These facts and figures tell their own
story. From them 1t can readily be
seen that section 3 is a very important
provision Of Senator Pages bill for the
Negro and ought to be reinserted when
the bill comes up for consideration on
the floor Of the senate. 1t will not be
inserted unless public sentiment shall
make itself felt to this effect. The col
ored people Of the country and espe-
cially those in the south should become
active among themselves and among
the white friends Of the race In and
out Of congress to insure the reinser-
ton Of section 8 in the Page bill.