The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-07
ALABAMA'S GOVERNOR
ON PEONAGE,
Makes No Excuse for Persons Con-
victed Ct Peonage, but Says
Whole People Should Not
Be Blamed for Acts
Of Few.

Montgomery. Ala, September 1.-The
Alabama legislature reconvened here to-
day and the most important matter to
governors message.
The most important part of the mes
sage contained the governors remarks
on Peonage. He said:
I'm at least one city in Alabama sew
eral farmers have been working men
and women under guard without legal au-
thority to do SO. One or more OF THESE
offenders have been sinners for dozen
years They have acted without the
shadow OF q right and have been plain
violators of the state laws.
The ofre.se has been notorious in the
community and these criminals should
have long since been inmates OF the
penitentiary That good people surround
ing them allowed a persistence in this
evil doing has focused on the whole state
the attention Of malevolent critics.
These several farmer contractors had
helpers in complainant justices and con-
stables. The latter were more guilty
than the principals. They basely be-
trayed a solemn trust
little Furor in Georgia.
in Georgia several like persons were
found guilty and sentenced without
creating Juror but our few and shining
rascals have caught the public eye we
have somehow secured the attention OF
the world and columns of abuse from PEG
pie no better than our own have hiled
the public prints,
BY some means, other matters Oh
grave import were forgotten and Ala
hoSr arfp q
county. have held the almost undivided
attention of the whole country, the Sc
crets OF the grand jury on The morrow,
occupying large space, under brilliant
headlines in eastern newspapers, and the
gaming mutitudes read everywhere, on
the sensational bulletin boards. Of slavery
In Alabama. A leading paper sent It's
agents to enlarge upon our sins 1hey
printed the transformation broadcast,
enlarged upon the facts they dld not
have and contributed to the general mis-
conception Of the whole story IN 'he pup.
lie mind. | am afraid this mas sent
abroard the impression that We had IN the
state only Il few good persons. and yet
we now that no respectable cltlzeh mas
any sympathy with these criminals, ana
that citizens without Il grea deal Of
responsibility are as outraged as their
moral natures will allow,
No Sympathy with Criminals.
Each of you genetIemen must be de
lighted to know that several at least.
OF the eighteen sinners indicted by the
United states grand jury Will suffer some
sort of penalty for their grave crimes.
Though you doubtless would have pre-
fc1red that it had been done in your own
courts and with less furious acclaim"
The governor calls attention to the fact
that there was only one murder COM
mitted by a mob in Alabama during the
present year. and these men have been
arrested and arc now out on bond
The house ana senate were flooded
with local bills The house ana senate
win now only meet every other Gay until
September g.
A bill was introduced in the house that
convicts who have served their sentences
he given transportation to the place of
conviction.
The governor this afternoon vetoed the
bill to appropriate $500 to purchase the
Old Jeff Davis residence.