The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-09-07
BILL ARP ON DREXFUS CASE.
INNOCENT AND PEIssECUTED MAN
More Talk About the War and the
Negro PrOble m-Slanders Oh tho
southern People.

Negro Probe m-Slanders on tn
Southern People.
1t is indeed singular how much sym
p.thy and what an intense interest tn
trial OF Dreyfus has excited all owe
the civilized world. The life or tn
nbcrty of but one man-a Jew OF n
great consequence-is at stake and ye
the world looks on with more concern
than 10 given the Philippine war
where thousands have died in battle
since the trial of Dreyfus began. Th,
nreat heart OF tho people believe tn,
Jew is innocent AMI is being persecutet
Civilians everywhere are getting more
and moro jealous of tho military power
and we'll they may be, for it Is aggres
sive, cruel and intolerant when no,
kept under restraint.
Tho long suffering OF Dreyfus has
intensified the pity Of mankind and re-
calls the plea that Shakespeare makes
for ShylOck, am Jew hath not q
Jew eyes and hands, senses, affections,
passions. If you prick US do We not
D'eed. Ii you poison US do we not
die ?" This persecution has been going
Oh for five years and the end Is not yet
in sight. 1t reminds us Of the historic
trial Of Warren Hastings that begun
April, 1875. Never was u man SO un-
justly assailed. The subiimcst oratory
and logic Of Burke and Fox and Sheri-
dan came down upon him with wither-
ing and pitiless force. Burke spoke
three days and amazed the world with
his matchless clOquence, and the world
pronounced Hastings guilty before any
evidence had Dcen introduced for
Burke's speech was an exordium, q
presentation Of the bill of Indictment.
Poor Hastings, frail, small aud sckly,
knelt at the bar and there heard the
terrible denunciations Of his accusers.
The English nation WAS against him
and even his friend and patron, Will
liam Pitt, deserted him. Hastings, as
governor general oi India, had not
pleased the party in power and was to
he made q victim. That was politics
ihen, and 1t is politics now. 1t was
like the execution OF Mrs. Surratt and
Captain Wurz in 1865, for two moro in
nOccnt persons couE, not have boon
louud, but tho thirsty public demanded
som" victims and these were chosen.
In lT95 Hastings was triumphantly &C
opinion had already turned In his
favor. Lord Macauley says that he
administered tho Indian government
with more than the capacity Of Richie
lieu and John Stuart Mill says he was
the best governor that India over had.
Well now, if Dreyfus can have such
a happy ending TO his long suffering
and trial the world will be satisfied.
Labor is already & hero-the brig test
star in the galaxy. He has made no
Olunder in act or speech during his
long and arduous labors and when he
declares with folded arms and glisten-
ing eyes and impassioned voice that
Drcyfus i6 innocent the world believes
MIN. II he sagain condemned, France
will be disgraced and degraded in the
eyes OF the great powers Of the world.
A government that cannot save one in
nUccnt man cannot save itself whom re-
voiutiOn comes.
The next biggest thing before us is
the everlasting war that, like Banquo's
ghost will not down. 1t drag5 its slow
length along from day to day and week
to week until its blood and cost has
almost ceased To agitate us and only
it's politics is considered. The qucs-
tion uppcrm0st is will it roll Mckinley
in again or roll him out. Imperialism
is bigger presidential issue than
silver or the tariff.
But just now the question that seems
to concern tho South is what GIa!l he
done with the negro. In some portions
Gf the country there Is no disturbance,
no friction, no Outrages Of any kind.
The two races are getting along as
peaceably as in the years gone by.
There are whole counties down in
lower Georgia and whole disCricts in
some of the Western States where the
negroes rs q mass are Industrious and
humble and give no trouble. In upper
South Carolina there iG peace and har.
mouy save an occasions disturbance
that bad men like the Tolberts pro-
woke. Most OF the outrages that pro-
coke the lynchings come from negro
tramps who have no settled homo, no
family, nor occupation, but go and
come when they please. They are the
scurf Of the towns and cities-the over
low-for cities breed crime and cor
ruptiOn both among whites and blacks.
The last report Of our prison commits
sion shows that seven counties with
our seven largest cities furnish one
third of all our COhvicts. Fulton cOun
ty alonc has 2Sl. The more remote
from these pcstilcntial centers Of crime
the fewer convicts. Pickcns, Towns
and Gillncr havo mono. Twelve coun,
tics have but twcnty-fOur. 1t is re-
markablc that some counties in the
black belt whore negroes prcdOminatC
show so good record. lultman mas
but two convicts and perfect peace anC
good will prevails between the races
and the negroes down thore took a.
much pride in the display and success
of tho late agricultural convention a
did the whites. Now the question is |
such harmony exists in Quitman VIII.
caNhot 1t exist elsewhere ?
ls 1T settled thing that tho tw
races cannot live together For on
| am not yet prepared to admit II
There are thousands OF negroes al
over 3the South who arc docile, law
abiding, respectful and industriou
and their labor is needed. If Norther
fools, fanatics and politicians woul
lot them and us alone feel sure W
could got along In peace. 1t Ia not fai
to judge the whole race by tho oxcer
tions that show up here and there
Force them out OF politics, estaDli