built, equipped and advertised, yet, chiefly on account of our
poverty, we should have to close the majority of them at once. This
would be a most serious loss. The amount of ignorance and the lack of
trained leaders among us, together with the small pittance done for us
in the direction of even high-school education by the states and
cities in which we live certainly do not suggest the advisability of
ridding ourselves of even one agency for enlightenment. Far better
would it be for us and for the country if they were increased tenfold.

This view takes into consideration the fact that the great majority of
people who give of their means to support the schools do so because
they have confidence in the ability, integrity and experience of those
who control them. And if any one is so credulous as to believe that
the schools under the management of Negroes could command the amount,
of interest and support as they now receive, I would ask him, why
_have_ Negroes, from Mr. Booker T. Washington down, who are trying to
gain public confidence and assistance for their work, _find_ it
necessary to invite white men to accept membership on their boards of
trustees? One need not go far to find the correct answer. In this
connection, it will be in order to inquire also if there are, under
the control of Negroes, any colleges that receive anything like the
amount of money for their support that is received by similar
institutions under the management of white men?

Furthermore, the placing of the colleges referred to wholly into the
hands of Negroes would be an unnecessary drawing of the race line, and
would very effectually close our mouths against making protest or
complaint on account of our being discriminated against for similar
reasons.

Again, at this time, when there seems to be, on the part of certain
persons of influence, a foul conspiracy against the Negro, it is of
great importance that we have among us persons whose knowledge of the
facts, and whose intellectual and social standing with those whose
good opinion we value enable and impel them to speak out in our
behalf. I recall with much gratification several instances where white
persons connected with Negro schools have used the superior
opportunities afforded them by the accident of race to say good things
of us at a time when a spokesman who had the ear of the king was
sorely needed. If, under present conditions, this class of people be
sent from among us, I fear