The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-09-22
REPORTING in THE SOUTH,
A Newspaper Mans Experience in
Getting News,

a newspaper man who had worked
in the south was telling Star re-
porter of some of his eApcaeuce
q notice" he said, that the Aa.
tional Farmers alliance has been in
session in this city Now, that was a
big political organization five or six
years ago, and its membership in
southern and western states was
large, Many statesman went under
as result of projecting with the al
lance and refusing to heed It's de-
mands. The venerable statesman
from Georgia, Representative Leoni-
das Livingston, came into congress as
a result Of loving the alliance Son
ator Tillman, of South Carolina, rode
the alliance horse until it carried HIM
into power | could name many
others, but it is not necessary to the
story. What | am telling about now
is the distrust which the order and It's
members have always entertained for
newspaper men, especially at times
when they are holding meetings.
Nothing is ever given out except
through press committees, as the
Washington reporters have no doubt
ascertMned That used to be the
fashion with the county alliances
when they met. Eight years ago,
when the alliance was fourishing in
a certain southern state, determined
to secure thenews of county alliance
meeting forthepaperIwas then work
ing on. The alliance met in a hall over
livery stable. Adjoining the hall was
hay and fodder loft, ! got into this
and prepared hole to listen 10 the
proceedings. didn't care anything
about the secret work, and merely |
wanted the proceedings on political /
subjects lad a great time for sew /
eral hours. but g9t a full story of |
what was done. The alliance men,
bership in the county was amazed and
mad. They boycotted my paper in
every way possible for years as a re-
suit of that trick, but the paper still
exists. There are many men still in
however, who still keep up
with the order, and in a secret way
pat it on the shoulder They are afraid
If it.
"My experiences with this orderre-
all the fun | had, when a very young
nan, reporting republicanward meet
ngs in the south. These meetings
we're attended wholly by colored citi-
ems, and every man in the crowd had
is razor with him, As a rule, the
were held by the flicker Of
i'm oil lamps. Two out of three times
he meetings would break up in row, {
he lights would be put out and there !
7ould be suf1ling,s crambling and the '
Of dark figures. At one of !
hese meetings, after the scene de-
ribbed, the police arrived, and with
Interns ascertained the situation. t
'wo or three men were lying on the 1
oor, badly whacked with razor cuts, /
lille under every bench and behind t
very box or chair were citizens who =
I'd sought those places Of safety I'M T T
| the war was over, After the police 9
irved there was q general dcmandto D
now who struck NE on the heads' "
i'd who done dat foul lick while | J.
us tryin' to preserve peace? Repre- b
ntative George Murray, the colored {
ember Of the house, represents a
strict where such things occurred
years ago. These disturb \
cea often came about oyer the rul-
rs Of the chairmen, but the colored h,
lien now understands parliament eli
Y tactics better, and the chairman cs
never in SO dangerous a predica- OF
ant. This also reminds me that ]
I'VE travelled through portions of =, ~
:. Murrays district for hours with W
t seeing a white face. It is known fr
the black district because Of tho pr
usualpredominance of colored peo- b
!, This is especially so in the rice pl
Ids back from the coast This Sec
II is so full Of malaria that a white if l
II cannot live in it. White over T Sli
rs 60 TO the rice fields i'll the day m,
les but at night 60 to higher places pc
rail or swift horses. The negroes de
acclimated, and rarely get sick. eli
ey were faithful people during the =,
r. They could have murdered the IN
= white people near to them, but g.
tead Of doing their owners and DR.,
tie friends harm they worked for
IN as Loyalty as before the war.
ny of them still live with their Fl
mer owners, and are kindly
ated S-Washinu+ ou Star |