Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-07-22
rHE VIEW WASHINGTON FAD.

|
When the politicians in charge Of
the Republican machine at Washing
ton can't find a new fsd with which
they can strike the South, there is no
use cursing the weather.
The latest lie the arraignment In the
the Unised, States courts of white men
in Alabama, who have sold their
claims against worthless negroes
whom they have furnished with some
thing to eat and means with which to
make a crop and found their conf
dence misplaced.
The charge is that these men have
sold the negroes into slavery, contrary
to the laws of the nation.
People who live in the South under
stand what this means. They know
the worthless negro, and they trust
the faithful negro, hence an occasion
al imposition which the fur1isher is
glad enough to unload often at big
loss.
But there Is not the awful crime
committed In this business transact
ton that Is pictured in the Northern
press and in the interviews now
plentifulIy given out by the Washing
ton officials.
For the information of those who
are u~uinformed in the premises, it is
done on what lie known as the con-
tract system. The mass of negroes in
the South are never careful with
money when they have it. In fact
they are generally dead broke by
Christmas, no matter how much of 3
family they may have dependent upon
them. Just as soon as their crop is
marketed and they come into posses
sion of the money for It, they haunt
the towns until the last dollar is gone.
Perhaps some designing white men
encourage them in this course. AT
any rate it lie as common with the
country as pig tracks in the barn yard,
Now and then is found q frugal negro,
but the mass is. generally broke by
Christmas and anxious to contract
with any one who will furnish them
the next year.
Under the law these contracts are
binding upon the services of the
negro. They cannot be made binding
upon anything else for that is all he
has to offer. He has spent everything
else he has before he is ready to con
tract.
As suggested, now and then some
lazy cuss who doesn't care whether he
keeps his contract or not, attempts Il
get away from the man who has sup.
piled him, under his contract, anC
when the furnisher discovers that thu
negro is determined to leave, he find.
ont with whom he is negotiating 70.
a new deal and under his contract anl
the law transfers the balance agains
the negro 90 that 1t stands against bin
in his new position.
OF course it is 3 mortgage on Chi
negro's toll, on his soul, II you prefei
It that way. But 1t is simply 3 mort
gage which he has given and whicI
he is always anxious to give when b
gets hungry. But, it is no more Of
mortgage than any other man give
when he signs q contract and pledge
his property to secure 1t. Any mort
eagor is In slavery, and 1t takes
pretty find line to deoipher the disad
vantage suffered by the negro VIII
simply mortgages his labor and tn
mar who mortgages his crop and put
his labor into It, be he black or white
Thousands OF honest negroes neve
have any trouble with those who fur
nish them. AS stated, the custom !
almost the entire foundation Of tn
south's products. It is only th
worthless negro who is trying to bea
his contract who gets into trouble.