The Washington times., 1904-03-20
Alleged Murders Are Re-
ported, But No One Is
Punished.
Brutal BeatingS Are Part
Of Daily Life of I'm
fOrtunaUeS.

sufficient 10 leave no doubt that slavery
stiIl exists in Georgia. That the condi-
lions existing between the planters.
turpenune operators. lumoer and milling
men, and the poorer class Of whites and
the negroes are not what they ought to
be, Is a generally accepted truth. but
there are few men or prominence who
can be found who are willing to talk.
save 10 say that Government Interior
ence in the matter of contracts between
employer and employee will only serve
to make a worse condition OF affairs;
that when the negro believes the Gov
eminent is backing him ne viii become
totally worthless, and 1t will be fmpos-
siole 10 make contracts which viii prove
binding
That very bitter and rancorous feeI-
ing toward the President and the Ad-
ministration is being nurtured by the
cry that Government spies are working
up these peOnage cases cannot be
coubted, and. too. il need not be doubt
cd that nothing OF this kind will re-
tard the efforts of the judges, the dis
trict attorneys. the special officers and
hundreds OF citizens TO bring every viO-
lator to justice.
il may be added. however, that, not
withstanding the violent opposition to
the enforcement Of the law. there is no
evidence. OF the least relaxation Of ef-
forts TO bring the guilty to justice. and
to release the poems.
The grand juries of the United States
courts are sitting thoroughly every yio-
lation of law. and the district attorneys
have s4oEified an CnalterabIe deteru1I-
nation TO convict where there is suffi-
cient evidence.
Judge Emory Speer. Of the southern
district of Georgia, has already gone
on record as being stoutly opposed 10
the appalling system His views are 50
well known that in the cases which
nave been brought before him the Of
tenders have simply thrown up their
hands and with pleas OF guilty implored
mercy, promising TO go and sin no
more.
Judge Speer is just and a merciful
man. and he believes that the certainty
and not the severity of punishment Is
the great deterrent of crime. In his
charge to the grand jury he directed
especial attention to peonage. saying
that If it was true that peonage existed
in the State 1t was intoIerable under
our system and was equally obnoxious
to the laws Of the State ana OF the
United States. He cited the statutes.
giving word for word, and added that
there are few principles OF our civiliza-
ton more vital than these laws they
marked that evolution Of the law which
distinguishes our humane and modern
system from the barbarous provisions
of ancient times
There were periods in history" said
Judge Speer, when the debtor became
the slave Of the creditor. In the neigh
boring republic OF Mexico there has
been Of force a system Of what is term
ed .peonage' by which the Iaboring
classes in large measure spend their en-
ire lives in the ostsnsible efforts to pay
of Indebtedness due their employers.
This is but involuntary servitude. 4
peon is one who IS bound TO serve his
creditor until the debt IS paid. This is,
however. distinctly forbidden, not only
by the principles Of the State and Unit
ed States constitutions just quoted. but
by an act of Congress made In pur-
suance of the latter. This provides that
Every person who holds, arrests. re-
turns, or causes TO be held. arrested, or
returned. or In any manner aids IN the
arrest or return Of any person to a
condition Of peonage, shall be punished
by fine of not less than 81. 900. nor
more than 5000. or by Imprisonment
not less than one year, nor more than
I'VE years. or boch."
Judge Speer then closed his charge
by calling the attention Of the jury TO
a case which had been officially report
ed him, where a iaboring man had en-
tered into a contract to work as a farm
labOrer for seven months. A misander-
standing arose and the hired man left
his employer and went to work for an
other party. The first employer and
other men armed themselves and. went
TO the field where the man was work
ing, seized him. tied him. carried hin
back 10 the farm, whipped him and
forced him TO go back 10 work. II
this is true" said Judge Speer, st Is
distinctly viOlative of the laws of our
country Nothing could be more &C.
mOralizing IN its effect on the peace
and good order of the community, and
no greater -reprOach to the humanity
of our people"
This IS the position taken by Judge
Speer; Judge Jones, of Alabama. and
Judge SWayne. of Florida, each of whom
have been outspolSen against the sys-
tenn and their determination to punish
offenders.