The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-01
PEONAGE GASES
WILL PROVE
BENEFICIAL
Prosecutions, 1t Is Claimed,
Will Do Much to Secure
Immigrants.

One who is in position to speak
on the subject with considerable
knowledge, takes the position that the
peonage prosecutions now on foot in
this and other states, constitute the
only practicable means of Kidding the
south of something which is an enor
nous incumbus upon her prosperity
For peonage, with the brutality that
naturally accompanies such unlawful
slavery, and exaggerated reports of
that brutality made by returning and
letter-writing victims, are positively
known to be preventing many labor
ers from coming into the south and to
be eliminating the more intelligent
and capable workers from among
vile Times-Union.
The informant states that recently
strenuous efforts were made to fulfill
three contracts for laborers to be sent
to Florida; that even religious efforts
were brought to bear to induce them
to come, and that no ltalions could
be obtained because of reports other
Italians returning from Florida had
made concerning the treatment they
had received here.
If the reports sent back to Europe
and New York and elsewhere could be
stopped and future reports of the kind
could be prevented without getting
rid of the peonage that actually exists,
then persons governed by purely bust
ness considerations, might argue that
the thing to do is to suppress the talk
of peonage instead of suppressing the
peonage itself
News Can't Be Suppressed.
But so long as grand juries and petit
juries in the south find it their duty
to report that peonage does exist, and
in an aggravated form, it is impossi-
BILE to prevent the news of it from be-
ing sent out.
In fact, in this age of publicity, it
ought to be obvious that an evil like
this could not be concealed even if we
had no iuries, grand juries or govern
ment of any kind.
1t is pleasant to recollect that while
the judges in these peonage cases are
appointed by the president, the grand
iuries that have been passing upon
the facts have been representative
southern men, and that the south it.
self is thus getting rid of the evil,
which is the result of the money hun
ger of few individuals, chiefly people
not southern born.
Good Laborers Bring Others.
The only sane course to pursue is to
wipe out the evil and then have it an
nounced that it no longer exists, which
hn odn n1n 10 r0-
ports of laborers as it's existence has
been made clear in the same way
Laborers, well treated, are as willing
to bring their friends to join them in
the south. as laborers. badly treated,
are to warn their friends and rela-
tives that they had better 90 else
where. They would naturally want
them here for their companionShiD II
for no other reason, and ordinarily
have no motive except to find satisfac-
tory work or fair wages for work that
is difficult or unpleasant.
If these men. largely foreigners, are
made to feel at home. are brought
down in sufficient numbers of the
same nationality to be company for
each other, have some attention paid
to their peculiar traits, habits and
traditions. are given proper food and
fair treatment, they will be only too
willing to report the ADVANTAGES of
soil and climate, and healthfulness
and opportunity which we know the !
south possesses in a greater degree !
than any other part of the country
Demand Has Doubled.
The agricultural and industrial cx-
pansiOn of the south has produced a
demand for labor that is doubla the i
demand of a few years ago. and the |
negroes. even If willing and able toi
adapt themselves to skilled labor, are |
not numerous enough to meet the de-
mand both in the factories and the !
fields at the same time.
The south must have immigration
and must remember that the immi- |
grants are white men with the same
sense anG spirit that We have.
A.