The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-03
"PEONAGE,n so CALLED.

What has been malcously character
lied as "the peon system has been
found to exist in a few counties in Ala
bama and Georgia. and has been seized
upon by that portion of the Northern
press which is hostile to the South as
occasion to raise the outcry that slavery
has been revived in new form"
The whole South suffers from these mis-
representations and attacks, when the
fact is that the violations Of law In ques-
ton are confined to narrow strips of ter
ritory. and are sternly reprobated and
utterly repudiated by the masses OF the
to deal with these criminals In their
State courts.
The intervention Of the Federal author
tiles was unfortunate, at least to the ex-
tent that It has given rise to the sus-
plcion that politics have more or less
to do with the activity Of the prosecu-
ton.
There Is no attempt upon the part of
the Southern press to deny or condone
the fact that In a limited number Of
CASES III AID DdIuti dIu Itoi 6idt anu IOi-
haps In some adjoining States. bad men
conspirlng with justices of the peace and
constables have perverted the labor con-
tract law and wrongfully exacted Of ne
groes services or account of Indebtedness
that never existed. Very probably, too,
these negroes have been roughly treated.
No great degree of leniency could be ex-
ca jp1o ,,t1
and fagrantly outraged the law. but we
reiterate that neither "the South" nor
Alabama, nor Georgia, as a people, Is to
be held responsible for these crimes. of
which the public generally were ignorant
until lately, and which they heartily
abhor and repudiate and stand ready to
punish.
The contract labor law, under which,
or rather in violation of which, these
crimes We're committed, was passed for
the protection Of landlards In the cotton
growing belt. The tenants. or choppers"
who rent land from these landlords,
usually enter into a contract for year,
and in order to secure the rigid enforce
ment OF their contracts with their land
lCIuS llllS NV was pdsScu. ~ pIOVluCS
that after tho written contract Is signed
the tenant cannot leave the premises
without Just excuse, unless with the con-
sent Of the landlord, and that lie cannot
obtain employment of similar nature
from another person without notifying
such other person of the existing contract
with his landlord.
rcfo tnto ig 5a5
| that If the laborer or renter Informs the
| person of whom he seeks employment of
| the existing contract, the latter shall
| naur pains and penalties If he employs
| him without obtaining the first employers
permission. The laws of the State also
provide that many minor crimes may be
punished by fines. and that where the
prisoner cannot pay the fine he may be
hired out to work out his indebtedness.
| Under this law 1t is alleged that num-
lSbers of farmers and proprietors of indus
trial works have conspired with officers
of the law to trump up charges against
negroes,
In the United States Court there have
been two or three pleas of guilty entered
| upon luVlCliIcHts l'uliu, anu lit iibol
law has been pronounced unconstitutional.
| great deficiency In the Alabama laws
is that there is no record of these con-
victons kept either by the State Board
of Convict Inspectors or by the Hard
Labor Agent of the county, nor is the
Justices court a court of record. And SO
1t has been easy for the conspring on
GERS to cover up their tracks
| In three cases accused persons have
pleaded guilty In the United States
Court (JudGe jones' and have been sem
fenced to one years confinement in the
Federal prison at Atlanta, About twenty
other persons are under Indictment
Judge Jones is Democrat, but the Dis
trct Attorney Is very active Repub-
can. and at one time was Identified with
the "Lily White" wing OF the party In
Alabama.
The State courts of Alabama are also
active in ferreting out cases where peon-
age, so called. is practiced and the deter
mination OF the people is that It shall be
broken up, The labor contract law hav-
ing been pronounced unconstitutional by
Judge Jones, will become the subject of
reconsideration when the Legislature next
meets The probability is that It will be
repealed. or at least revised, and put
upon footing which will make it unob.
noxious 80 The objections set forth In
Judge jones' opinion.
In Georgia much prominence has beer
given the peonase question by a petition
filed by negro woman in the House o.