Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1949-04-02
md nothing honorable or reason.

and nothing honorable or reason.
able they would refuse me. Dur
ing my practice of law in my
home county of Sharkey, I tried
many lawsuits under a Negro JUS
tice of the Peace. He was a good
officer too. In the adjoining
County of Issaquena, many Neg
roes served on juries. I remem-
Der one case tried soon after my
return from the Army in 1919 or
1920 in which, with other law
yers, I was defending a white
man for murder; when the State
rendered us the jury, thede were
eleven Negroes and one white
man. That was the way we lived
in those days that was simp-
ly the evidence of good race re-
lations. But that spirit of under
standing and close relationship
was not brought about as the
result of any Civil Rights pro-
gram, nor was it caused by any
federal legislation. 1t wasthe
/ the confidence the races had for
each other; of the respect earned
through association and dealings
one with the other.
have always maintained that
states are sovereign and all in
ternal probe should be handled
by the states without interference
from the Federal Government. In
/ taking that position, I recognize
, the responsibility that rests on
the state. Now, as the Governor
of our State, I recognize the
Negro as citizen entitled to
the rights and privileges of citi-
zenship as well as entitled to i'm
proved living conditions; to bett-
er health facilities; to better
educational opportunities. I pro-
pose to do what is possible to
provide them, but let me remind
you and all Negroes that with
all privileges there goes a cor
responding Responsibility.
With that thought in mind,
in our discussion of education,
there are two points we should
consider: first, the inadequacy
of your educat} bnal facilities,
which we all recognize and ap-
preciate; and second, the CO.
operative effort required in the
attainment of so vast and inn
portant renovation of your edu-
cational opportunities.
In discussing the inadequacy
of facilities, 1 should point out
that the attainment of such pro-
gram is a long-range activity.
/, 1t cannot be accomplished over
night. In Mississippi, our econ
mitted us to move rapidly at any
time in the development of an
| educational program comparable
to that in some other states.
The White schools have struggled
for many,many years to get
where they are today. Many OBJ
stacles have had to be over
come. Your schools are develop
ing much faster than have the
White schools and You are at
tanning a more desirable level
of educational achievement in
a much shorter time than has
been required in the case of the
White schools. Even so, the very
nature of the problem itself nee
essitates time in its accomplish
ment. The important thing is
| that we have the assurance that
| we are actually and sincerely
on our way to a solution and
that we shall make all reason
able haste in attaining our goals
and detectives.
Despite the fact that your sit
uatlOn as teachers has not been,
and is not now, satisfactory, we
are making progress and we see
even greater progress in the
near future. Although yoll sa'-
aries have been increased con-
slderably in recent years, there
are still too low for we'll
qualified teachers. l know that
you believe that well-qualified
teachers should be paid what
| they are worth. Some poorly
trained teachers may be receiy-
ing too much pay now. | am
sure that is true of some White
teachers. Not only do we want
! better salaries but what is lust
as important, we want better
/ qualified teachers. Schools are
operated for the benefit of the
children and not for the teach
ers, the parents, the Legislature,
or anYOna elsa Tho ,oaox