Educate The Negro

Educate the Negro. As a matter of policy, if not of principle, this should be done and that by our own people; for if it is not done by them it will be done by strangers coming from the North, who will infuse into them wrong no- tions and prejudices in regard to the feelings of the Southern people to- wards them. Some of the books used by such teachers are embellished with silly stories about the cruelties and persecutions of white people toward the colored; and it will continue to be the case so long as our own people leave this matter in their hands and neglect their duty. Nothing will so much tend to prevent a war of races, and to produce a kindly feeling among the negroes towards their former own- ers, than the zealous and faithful dis- charg of their obligations in this re- spect. Thus it is not only a duty, but a positive benefit for the Southern people to educate their former slaves and make them love them. A great many young men who have been dis- abled for field labor, could find remu- nerative employment in teaching col- ored children; and it should not be considered as degrading in them to do so. Let, therefore, the colored people be educated, and let us, as far as we are able, help them to build their school houses and find teachers for them of our own choosing. While on this subject we would call attention to the Republican State platform which proposes to take off the poll tax, which is the only tax a negro has to pay, and at the same time proposes to establish free schools for his benefit. The effect of this will be to increase the burden of taxation on the white man three-fold, for some- body’s property must be taxed for the support of these free schools, and as the negro has no property, and proba- bly never will have much, it will all fall on the whites, which will be very unjust. If the negro must be educa- ted, which we think he ought to be, let him help to educate himself—let him be taxed as others are. At the same time, however, we ad- mit that the tax which he pays on the cotton which he raises, falls very heavy on the poor negro. Suppose for in- stance, that one negro man raises four bales of cotton, on this he pays a tax of fifty or sixty dollars. How can he ever rise with such a burden on his shoulders? The tax removed and he could educate his children and lay up something to buy a homestead. But this unjust and unequal taxa- tion is imposed upon him by those whom he is told are his best friends —and he is exhorted to bear it like a man. Moreover, from the proceeds of this cotton he raises, he must buy corn at an exorbitant price from the same friends, who pay no tax on what they raise. But it is all right for these Republicans passed these laws and they are his friends, and a man must stand anything and everything from his friends.