The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-09-04
MAKES THEM WORK.

Georgia has a new vagrant law
which Is being enforced with salts
factory results. All grown persons
who cannot show that they have
employment are liable to arrest and
sentence to the chain gangs employed
on the public highways. II 10 stated
that within two weeks 1000 arrests
have been made In the Stats., Within
two hours fifty negroes ana whites
were locked up In Atlanta on charges
of vagrancy under the new law.
As n result of this iiw the streets
and public roads are being greatly
improved, while loahlg, ldleness and
lsWlessness are rapidly decreasing
Farmers who formerly found 1t
difficult to obtain farm labor, now lind
1t easy to secure all the labor they
need. Negroes, and whites as we'll.
prefer farm work for pay when 1t
comes to a choice between that and
work on the chain gang. :.
A similar law In Tennessee would
be In the interest OF industry ana
mora q. In Nashville, fr instance,
there are TO be found many idle
negroes and not few worthless whites
who cannot be Induced TO WORK. even
when there is great demand for labor
and remunerativs prices. These loaters
should be made to WORK ON their own
account or else be put to work for the
city, county or State. The loafer ls an
enemy of the public. Idleness begets
crime, and crime Is always expensive
to the State. Those who labor to pro-
duce and create. to pay taxes and sup
port the Government, should not be
taxed also with the maintenance OF
loafers and Idlers.. The city should
see that worthless characters are not
permitted to ,oaf and idle away their
time within Its borders. Their very
presence and idleness invite to crime.
Nashville American.
Columbia already has a law to cover
SUCH cases, but like very many other
wholesome laws, it is not enforced. 1t
would be 80 much better for every one
concerned IL the law was enforced. 1t
would save 80 many people from cou-
tracing that habit of idleness which
-begets crime. 1t would save society
from such demoralizing examples.
And it would save the State the ex-
pense of prosecuting and Furnishing
and caring for so many who from sheer
idleness become CRIMINALS and pau
pers.
This class is not confined to the
blacks, though they are largely in the
majority and neither is it confined to
the men and its enforcement should
be upon all alike. Not a few men
white ana black, loaf half their time,
ana permit their wives and children to
support them the other half. And
there are great many negro women,
with no visible means of support, who
are chrome summer loafers and,
many them OBJECTS of charity in the
winter. They should be made to WORK.
In Columbia this summer very many
families, perfectly able to pay and
perfectly willing to pay good wages,
have found it impossible to secure
cooks. Their erstwhile help anounc-
ing with naughty and independent
air that 1t was too warm to work. The
officers OF the law ought to visit them
and inquire how they are able to live
without work. For if they have no
income to support them. and no one
to work for them, and are iale them
selves, they are bound to steal. The
rigid enforcement of the vagrancy law
would take kinK or two out of their
strut
Another salutary lesson to them
would be for the ladies to organize
defensively and import car load OF
white COOKS By organization and
effort this can be done and it is strange
that the ladies will put up with no
service In the summer ana poor
service in winter, when, with a little
united effort they can do 80 much
better.