The Colorado statesman., 1914-07-25

The Tennessee supreme courts de-
cision that former slaves cannot in
herit property under the ordinary rules
of kinship was upheld by the Supreme
court of the United States.
The question arose over the case of
John Jones, former slave, who owned
a farm in Tennessee at the time of his
death, and the construction Of the
state laws of Tennessee, which deny
the right of collateral inheritance to
be in violation of the fourteenth
amendment to the constitution.
John Jones died in Shelby county,
Tenn. possessing II acres Of land. He
left no children, but number of
brothers and sisters. Marguerite Jones.
the widow Of John Jones, claimed the
property. Will Jones secured quit
claim deeds from the brothers and sis
ters, turning over to him their inter
ests in the property. Litigation re-
suited, in which the Tennessee courts
held in favor of Marguerite Jones.
They held that the brothers and Sis
ters were born in the days of slavery,
and hence could have no. inheritable
interest in the land.
Will Jones, in his appeal to the Su-
preme court of the United States,
claimed that this decree of the Ten
nessee court violated the fourteenth
amendment to the constitution by de-
priving former slaves of their civil
rights as guaranteed to them by the
organic law of the land
Marguerite Jones claimed that the
state of Tennessee had the right to
say which Of it's citizens should inherit
the lands of another citizen dying in
testate, and also that none of the
constitutional rights of VIII Jones had
been transgressed. Under the decision
the land goes to Jones' widow
The promise of Mr.. julius Rosen-
valid of Chicago to duplicate all gifts
for negro rural public schools in the
South is no less notable for it's wisdom
than for its generosity. 1t is not clear
from the dispatches whether this re-
fers only to sums raised by colored
people or by others; in either event,
it is mupificent enough. But Mr.. Ros-
enwald is accustomed to bestowing
his benefactions both wisely and gen.
erously, as witness what he has done
for the Y. M. c. A. movement among
the colored people. A number of i'm
pressive and useful buildings have
arisen because of his aid and inspira-
ton. So disheartening has been the
condition of the negro rural school
in many counties they offer a mere
mockery of education-that the Slater
and general education boards, as well
as the Jeanes fund which applies itself
| exclusively to the colored rural public
schools, have been devoting them
selves to the task of obtaining better
supervision, better teachers, and bet
ter conditions. If Mr.. Rosenwald will
now duplicate every dollar raised by
the colored people to improve their
crossroads schools, splendid spur
for their activities-and they give gem
erously in comparison with their small
means-has been provided.
The colored population of the South
is making more rapid progress IN
every line than those of the North,
according to the Rev. Simon P. w.
| Drew pastor of the Cosmopolitan
Baptist church, who, in a sermon de-
clared it would be but short time
when colored men desiring to advance
themselves will return to their south
ern homes. He said that labor organi-
cations in the North are prejudiced
against members of the colored race,
and in many trades exclude them
from employment.