The Phoenix index., 1940-06-15

dIIdIIl LlllCOl1l,
1.-THE impression prevails in the
minds Of some people that my
proposal for the repatriation Of
The Negro is produce Of so-call
ed Southern prejudice The fact
is that my record of more than
20 years in public office, including
eight years as governor of Mis-
sissippi, will confirm the state
ment that l have always dealt
fairly and alphabetically with
the Negro said Mr. Bilbo.
DISCUSSES EDUCATION
Mr. Bilbo goes into a discussion
of the educational opportunities of
the lack of them in his own states
for Negroes that grows sentimental
and sympathetic.
Educational facilities here for
Negro children are not as good as
We might wish to see. There is a
growing discontent among the Ne
groes because schools for the color
ed are not the equal of the white
schools in the South The Negro
complains that mis- schools are
the poorest in the country; that
housing accommodation for colored
pupils are neglected; that colore5
teachers are poorly trained.
II am one Of a large number
Of sympathetic southerners whc
sincerely wish we could do better
educationally by our young Ne
groes But there are SO many OF
them BY nature a prolific race,
The Negro in the balmy South
land perpetuates at so rapid rate
that our public school systems are
constantly faced with new prob-
ie1nsA in providing schooling fol
the rising generation of colored
pupils, Notwithstanding the high
mortality of the Negro Iace-6G
per cent higher than that of the
white race-the net gain in Negro
population over a period of ten
years is about 1876 percent, based
On the period 1920 1880.
OLD ARGUMENT
"In my state we have 10000
more colored children of school
age than of white school children
1t seems ironic that we nave only
5000 colored teachers as compar,
ed with 10000 white teachers. The
ratio appears inversely proper
toned, and it Is On the other
hand, it must be borne in mind
that the bulk of the tax burden
falls on white shoulders. Fl reIa'
lively small percentage indeed is
Paid by the Negro population. AL
! things considered, we have done
/ as we'll as we could reasonably af-
ford to provide education for col
ored children and hospitals for the
Negro and his family
"All the education in the world
however, cannot erase the physical
and mental differences that dl-
vide the two races. The color line
while serving as a deterrent to
intermar1iage in regions where 1t
is enforced, Cannot prevent illegal
n1iscegnation. The facts speak for
themselves. The most authentic
records reveals, and one has but
TO look around among the colored
people to see, that about one
third of the negroid citizens OF
our country are Negroes With
white admixtrres- -mulattOeS, quad
rooms and octcroons. Nineteen
states in the Union and also the
District of Columbia even give
legal sanction to inter-marriages
between blacks and whites.
10000 CROSS line
ut has been said by good ALL
thorities that there are today about
10000 Negro boys and Negro
| girls annually crossing the color
line. That is to say, Negro boy
is a mtIlatto and looks white, so he
goes where he is not known and
marries a white girl. The mulatto
or White-colcred girl, goes where
she is not known and msrries
white man. Who, then, in the face
Of this can say that we are not
gradually heading for eventual
Emalgamation unless steps are TAX
en- for the physical separation of
the two races?"
In speaking Of the proponents of
his bill for the repatriation of Me-
eroes,' Bilbo refers to the presi-
dent of the Ethiopian league as
m. M. l.. Gordon, of Chicago.
Negro women of prodigiojs fore
sight and rugged enthusiasm for
the welfare and integrity of hel
race" At no time does ne do her
the courtesy in referring to her to
give her the title of Miss or Mrs.
either Of which she. is emitted.