The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-03-21
.CHAIN GANG EVIL
PE [. Q: 1 [: He [: Says ]. A {;
involuntary Scrvitude for Petty
Ofenses Violation Of Law,
Declares Judge Speer.
5AssAlLs GEORGIA CUSTOM
I(BY.AasocIated Press.

q SAVANNAH, GA, March 20-Judge
Emory speer, in the United States Court
to-day. confined his charge almost ex-
clusively to discussion of the peonage
decision handed down last week by the
Supreme Court Of the United States In
3the&ca Of Clyatt from Fl orida. Judge
Speer said 1t may be long before the court
will have the opportunity to render an
other opinion so vital to the future OF our
country. @ Il III zIs
& cit IS salutary to the black man, but to
the white man 1t is Infinitely more 30.
As to the labor and liberty Of every citi-
zen, It nulif1es that vicious principle:
3'Let him take who has the power, and
let him keep who can. 1t is true thatait
spares members OF the negro race from g
slavery to the reckless and the lawless,
to the degenerate and the unscrupulous;
u slavery which, compared with that Of
our fathers, differs as widely as our
conceptions or Paradise after and before
tho fall of our first parents. But its
emancipation Of the white man Is no less
significant. The man guilty OF peonage,
like other slave-catchers is not stopped
by any principle OF justice to his fellow
man, whether white or black. 1t Is no.
5ticeably true that in number of cases
/ of peona ge ready and willing witnesses
IIlC Will HELL wiz
have been deprived OF their servants be-
cause the modern slave-catcher, usually
"a man Of Influence and determination.
himself armed and with armed followers,
would invade the domain OF the small
farmer and by violence the most cruel
and Intimidation the most reckless, take
stherefromt the laborers whose services the
witness had engaged. 55 e
7 ,epalized Peonape
4 Judge Speer expressed the opinion that
petty municipal offenses Tx liking on
tthe grass, expectorating on the sidewalk,
or going to sleep In a d epot, or lettering.
on the streets. and multitudes OF other
similar offenses are not crimes for which
Involuntary servitude can be imposed.
4 He held that tor such an offense, to sem
Htence and hold a man or child for invol,
$untary servitude is peonage, and that the
4. .si,ai.y OF this statute rs applicable to
II Oh e engaged In Its imposition.
concluded:
II nrS myself I do not hesitate to declare
that enforced labor on a local chain gang
for any offense not amounting to crimo
is Involuntary servtude and peonage in
the sllght8of the decision OF the Supreme
Court Of the United States, no matter
what the State law or municipal ordi-
nance on the subject may be. Should
the Sultan of Morocco or Abdul Hamid
at Constantinople consign to an Oriental
chain gang American citizens for such
trivialities as are thus daily punished
here before the sun went down the steel
clad battleships Of the Union would be
speeding DER mountain wave OF ocean
to demand redress for the injury or to
avenge the wrong. Let but peonage be
fastened on our system and all may soon.
with Rienzl, exclaim: We are slaves;
the bright sun rises to its course and
lights a race OF. slaves; It sets, and It's
last beam falls on a slave ~