The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-12

NNoFLH central states Spend $44.l year
per child and the South Central states
$500 per child.
North Dakota, a rural state, spends
s64 a year per child; wild Idaho SIS, and
even Mormanlc Utah spends $50 a year
per child. Alabama spends SIS a year
per child; Arkansas spends $14 a year
per child; Tennessee $13, and Mississippi
50, which is the lowest amount spent by
any state in the union for the education
of it's children.
CHANGE IN SYSTEM
BE it remembered that a large ma
jority of negroes, my people, live in Ala
bama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi
and other southern states. Now there
is not being spent as much money on
the white and black children of these
states as needs to be spent on negroes
alone-the state, 1 am talking Of now
as regards the government.
What effect will clannishness, preju-
dice, social and political traditions Of the
south, have on the division of this money
between the white and black children in
this country? How is this SIS divided in
Alabama? The poor accommodations and
low salaries for negro education in Ala
bama are right in keeping with the tradi-
tons and policies of the south. Hence
this discrimination is going to exist in
Alabama until the policies in which 1t
rests be gwen UP by the government of
the state. Until that change comes in
the doctrines of the south, we cannot
do much more than accept the crumbs
from the government while we educate
ourselves and look to benevolent, Chris
tan and philanthropic white folk to help
us maintain our schools.
But, says one, we should not have
to educate ourselves thusly. We should
be educated from the public money,
because we pay the tax even when
we do not own the property. When
the landlord rents US the property he
figures In the tax. The tax Is figured in
the house rent we pay. SO the theory
that man pays the tax necessarily
because he owns the land is not sound
doctrine. Taxes are moneys to be used
for the public, or the people that make
up the community. Public money is
like the streets. 1t does not belong
to any one race or person any more
than it does to another. 1t is common
property.
Another says. let US resent this
discrimination by migrating north.
Many have gone north just for this
ACCOMPLISHMENTS against the race
in wages and in the use of public
conveniences Others are going, but it
Is not practical for all to go. Some
Will ndV6 TO SLHY III AldDdIIld D0CdQ5G
they will sacrifice too much to go
-|say and again it is for the good
OF chose in the north that many OF us
remain in the south.
Furthermore. the north is not a sea
without sandbars, nor road without
stumps. We must experience much SUI
fering in the north before 1T is well
with our souls. because there are sin.
ners in the north as we'll as in the
10 NJ n
Africa" movements among negroes in
this country within the last so years
and thousands have gone to Africa, but
the majority is still here. Similar to
this will be our migration to the north
There are large numbers of negroes in
Alabama who are too weak to leave
the south and all the strong ones can
not afford to go and leave them. The
majority of the negroes will be in the
south for years to come, II not for
ever.
NOT BECOME DISCOURAGED
Let US be careful not to become
unsettled and discouraged and throw
away our property and neglect our in
stitutions that we have labored hard
to build up here In Alabama in this
northern migration excitement. If
there Is manhood in running out of
trouble. there is sure manhood in
standing ones ground and overcoming
trouble. Let us cooperate with those
who would straighten out the south.
You say, If we give the money out
OF our pockets to build and maintain
our own schools while the taxes are
public money and are all practically
used for schools for white children,
that we are educating ourselves and
the white children too. If we are, we
will be stronger, because the effort
- -
festation of such manhood will go far
toward destroying the discrimination
of which we now complain. Tat brand
of manhood will show that we deserve
better treatment in the administration
of governmental affairs.
I'm a recent issue of The Birming-
ham Age Herald there appeared an ar
ticle. reprinted from the editorial page
of the New Orleans Picayune, in which
the editor of that paper says among
other things: But the black may work
miracles by cultivating pride of the
right sort; he may win the white mans
respect by practicing thrift; he may
gain consideration that statutes could
not give him.
Cooperation in the building of the
Birmingham Baptist college is race
pride. Patronizing negro business men
by negroes is race pride. The raising
of $4,000 for the educational work car
ried on by the Birmingham Baptist
college is the right sort of race pride.
The Times-Picayune says 1t will work
miracles. Yes, 1T will give us influence
among our fellows and will win the
respect of the white man. which will
bring more to us than statutes on the
books at Montgomery
IT hope we will not stand around
and look for northern philanthropy and
white southern benevolence to support
this school While we welcome help
from any honorable source beg that
we will depend upon ourselves for
money to run this institution. Let the
negroes that are making from $50 to
500 a month and more pledge and
give from $40 to SIS to carry on this
work. Suppose there were not more
than 10000 negro men in this mineral
district of Alabama If 1000 of them
would contribute $40 1t would give
$4,000 year to maintain and operate
the college.
1--WE are plenty able for tho work
Let us go UP against illiteracy and de-
liver ourselves and race from icpor.