Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-09
THE EMIeRANT
AGENT LAW REPEALED

To the Editor OF the Journal:
While these days are merging into
summer the farmer feels that hope of
hereafter Is denied him; for euss he must
at the ways Of the darby. Every year
negro labor grows worse and more shift
less; more stepped in the idea that their
sole duty is but to beat the white man.
and give as little in return for 1t as Is
possible. Turn your back and the pillow
stands in the shade; leave the field and
the hoe is at rest; but we only meant this
article to argue In our own poor way why
the law as it now stands upon the
statute books In regard to emigration
agents is a hindrance and drawback;
thing that should be repealed, and the
bars let down. to let the incubus that
hangs around the neck Of Georgia get on
and drift away, as might seem best.
OF course there would be scarcity OF
labor to some for a time; but the END
would be for good.
Where the niger clears out white
farmers will come; where the niger IS
white farmers won't come. Their wives
and daughters win not peedlessly be ex-
posed to the dangers that Turk in the hu-
man beasts that are at large. Where the
white laborer can find a footing white
labor will come; but white labor will not
come to stand beside the niger.
Where whites till the land of a soil as
fertile as Georgia, prosperity becomes
more apparent; given the Garden OF Eden
without a white man 10 boss him and the
average darby would convert ii in a. short
while into a wilderness of briars and
half worked rows.
1t is no worse in this section than In
any other; but a class that has no am
bition beyond the day. and getting TO
town Saturday evening; no desire TO &C
cumulate anything; no cares as to the ap-
pearance of its surroundings; no eye for
beautifying the home; lacking in moral
stamina and honesty; in chastity and YER
acity; a class that is of this character
was never known to build up communities.
True there are exceptions among the race,
but the bulk will be found as stated
Labove, and they keep out white settlers.
They have to be supported. while the
whiskey dens and childish fOolishness
gets whatever surplus they may have in
good crop year, When the furnishing
stops they must live and other folks
property is in danger. The negro cook
will keep up a family from the table
and the man won't work. No country
can grow as prosperous as II might II
1t did not have 10 contend with this kind
of race yet the laws are on US, and we
keep up the bars. Peg Leg Williams, II
allowed to continue, would have done
Georgia far more good than harm by re-
moving and scattering some of the
causes of lynching, of the recent Atlanta
tragedy and of other things. The emigrant
agent law would be better repealed, or
amended so that II could not take of
hands in the midst of full crop. even IL
we had to have a closed season like the
bird law and only let them work at the
business say two months In the year.
November and December. when there are
no crops on hand. Let them out and be
gone then we will have less to fear for
the women; less criminals to try in the
courts; more chickens and hogs-to say
nothing OF more white folks who will
come to deyelops the country as the negro
never will, or can for want of capacity.
We want TO cast one vote for a man who
puts 1t in his platform TO introduce bill
for the repeal Of the emigrant agent tax;
or its amendment so as TO allow our
drifting population to scatter OF where IL
will be less a menace.
C. H. BEAZLEY.
Leesburg, Ga.