The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-19
A SOUTHERN OFTIMIST.

~ Georgia in defense OF lynch law it is but fair to
that he does in any way represent the domi-
nant sentiment Of the white people OF Georgia, nor
did he accurately present the relations Of whites and
blacks to one another in that State. His assertion
that the two races cannot develop good advantage
while in contact with another and his plea for
programme OF separation by removal OF the negroes
from the South have been promptly refuted and re-
pudiated by such newspapers the Atlanta Consttu
ton and by some OF the most eminent in the
State.
The most elaborate reply that has been made to
Graves comes from w. ]. Northern a former Gov
enor of Georgia and one OF the careful students
Of the race problem. In an extended discussion Of
the subject published in a recent issue OF the Const
tuition Nj Northern begins by furnishing proof that
majority OF the whites of Georgia do not believe in
lynch law as a remedy for any crime whatever. He
says: During my administration l had occasion to
make very thorough official investigation that fully
satisfied that the people of this State body
the fullest sympathy with the administration OF the
law am that they ready to uphold it at any and
all hazard whatever the OF the crime demand
ing punishment"
Referring to the fact that lynchings have occurred
IN Georgia with considerable frequency he says:
There have been in this State and in every other
State considerable violations of the criminal code but
that does not indicate that the people not pro-
nounoed against such niquites." He added that the
undue prominence given in the press and in public
discussions 10 lynching leads misconception
TO their frequency and that such outrages by
means so common as uniformed people believe
Passing to general consideration of the relations
OF the races Mr. Northern says they are now less
antagOnistic and cooperative than at any for
meT period since the war. He closed by saying:
We putting all the idle negroes to work and
the better negroes are helping to this end Vice and
crime have greatly decreased ar.ong them and we
practically free from trouble. Let us stop the
continued abuse of the negro and rather help him to
be useful to himself and to the community. Com
mend him freely and generously and publicly. if you
WILL when he does well, and punish him severely in
the when he is vicious and let that be the end
OF it. We have no occasion for constant crying out
We have peace and abundant prosperity Just let us
say publish the crimes OF the people if it is best
but let us be they have been committed before
say so"
Statements of that kind coming from men of known
influence in the South far more cheerful reading
than the lurid rhetoric of men like Graves, who have
hardly any other desire than that Of making repu-
tation lecturers The problem of the races in the
South ie unquestionably difficult one but the diff
culties are being steadily overcome by the silent
workers who going bravely about their work
while the orators talking The prosperity of the
South, which is abundantly evident of late
years is itself proof that the two races are effect
lively cooperating in all departments of Industry.
Moreover the latest statistics show that for
the first time in many decades the population of the
South increased between 1890 and 1000 in about the
same percentage as that OF the North That fact
shows that the Southern people not migrating to
the North and West in anything like the numbers of
former years II the relations of the races were any,
thing like bad as Graves and others like him de-
clare should have had larger and not dimir-
ished exodus Of Southern people from their homes
There is thus ample evidence in the statistics OF
industry and Of population confirm the statement
Of Mr.. Northern that the issue as it exists in
popular imagination is largely bugaboo With the
increase Of wealth in the South there will come an in
Of schools and an increase of effectiveness in
the rural constabulary and then lynch law will be
rare in that as in any other section OF the Union
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