The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-03-13

, have reported and will enable them
r get the names of the witnesses to pro'
: such facts. 1t is proper that we shou
$ add that much Of the abuse has alrca,
: been corrected as result of this il
vestiyatiOn and that some of the pa
: ties have been to us with the assuranC
8 that they would Immediately corre'
r the evils existing on their farms
} which we have called attention.
{ Owing to the widespread iniluenc
and effect that follows any public dis
cussion of the question of farm labo
III this State and the result that ma
follow q presentment such as we pic
pose it is proper that we should i
closing this report enter into a brie
discussion of the influences that hav
brought about the evils reported an'
make suggestions as to the remedle
therefor. We have heard rumors tha
this investigation has already creatct
a widespread ip!crcst and that the con
ditions have been discussed with som,
feeling but we have as far as possibl,
avoided reading anything published OI
SAID in this respect in oldcr that We
might pursue our investigations with
out any influence or bias from any
quarter. The question of farm. labor
IN this State is a very difficult one and
the present laws regulating the same
are insufficient.
The negroes whom we found con
fined in the stockadc were composed
largely Of a class of shiftless debtors
who are subject to indictment for petty
olfense, and who could not be success
fully worked under ordinary contracts.
They are men who have no property,
and men who evade their debts unless
compelled TO pay them. Against them
the process of Il civil coult is worth
less; that of the criminal court under
existing laws Is inadequate. Some
thing should be done by the legislature
to grade the punishment of this class
according to the offence. But the
worst trouble has not been in the de-
feet of the provisions of the law so
much rs its enforcement. 1t has come
to be a settled policy in this county
That indictment for violation of con
tract and for disposing of property
under lien should be compromised,
and not tried. We are convinced that
this Is wrong i'll principle and danger
Gus IN practice.
Whatever Injustice may be done an
individual by disposlng of property on
which he has lien, or by the violation
OF a contract by one of his employees,
and whatever force might be given to
the effect of penal statutes to induce
payment of debts or fuliillmcnt OF con-
tracts that never has been the true in
tent and purpose of the penal statutes.
they are enacted to prevent public
wrong, and when prosecution has
once been instituted and the power of
The criminal court invoked, The uues-
lion OF private rccOmpensc should dis
appear, and the public interes: alone
should be considered While this may
result in occasional hardships, it is the
only sale policy. Abuses will other
wise grow up until the criminal CO lrts
are degraded into machines for private
gam, and often for eXtOrtion and op-
PRESTON. In our judgment it should
DC crime to compromise any case
after indictment found with view of
private gain.
Nor can we condemn too severely
hat other fruitful sourcc-in fact, the
origin OF the abuses herein reported
The leasing out of cOnvicts to work oil
private farms. Evils already detailed
are too eloquent to ncccssitatc dis
cussion to prove this. Such system
should not be tolerated after It's results
have been exposed us in this county.
We have heard it intlmatcd that our
Investigations and exposures would
disturb the labor conditions to such IN
extent as TO create trouble in this
State. We do not believe that it is
true, but if it were we would not hesi-
tate to declare the evils we lind and to
demand that they should DC abolished.
The dnty of this body is plain: We
must stop the violations of law that
now exist, and if others begin on the
part OF the laborcrs themselves, then
we will unite with the law w-abiCling
citizens of the county ia furnishing and
these evils.
The result of our Investigations
show that the system Of working
laborers under guard and coniining
them in stOckades does not exist IN this
PROBABLY not as many as twenty men,
either as principal or agent, either di-
rectly or indirectly, have been engaged
IN this abuse. On the other hand, the
number of laborers and lienors who
have violated the law will double that
number many times.
We therefore reltcratc that the IN
fluence of this grand jury, and we do
not hesitate to say of the court also,
will not be extended to enable any
man to avoid a just contract, and that
we have found that most of the labor
contracts of the county are legal and
just. If violations of just contracts
begin as result OF the Investigations
we have made, we suggest that wal
rants bo sworn out and prompt punish
ment given. We have not undertaken
to assume the responsibility of prose.
cutting the laborers who have violated
their contracts, because the position
and influence Of the landlord makes
them fully able to do that without as
sistance from us. This special report
has been brought about because of The
oppression and abuse of mon who were
TOO poor, too friendless, too ignoraa
and often too degraded to act fo
themselves, but who arc nevertheless
entitled to the full protection of tn,
law, and who because of their weak
ness lave peculiar claim 10 our pro
lection.
All of which is respectfully sub