The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-11-08
NOT A POLITICAL MOVE
An Investigation Of Alleged Peonsoe
Cases in the South Calls
Forth Explanation.

Representatives of the department
of justice do not wish that the inves-
tigation into peonage charges in 9eor-
gia be regarded as of a political na-
ture or as crusade against any one
section.
Such is the statement of a gentle
man who is in a position to know
the alleged motives of President Roose-
yelt in dispatching to the state Assist
ant Attorney General Russell, who, for
week or so past, has been investigat-
ing charges Of peonage against R. D.
Cole & Co., of Newman.
president Roosevelt" the gentle
man continued, "feels kindly toward
the south. He has every reason to.
But he feels that this is a matter
in which the very prosperity of the
south Is concerned as we'll as the
prosperity Of tho country. The south
is crying for immigrants and Ihe
only way to get them Is to treat the
ones who come fairly. Otherwise the
news will soon spread and desirable
immigrants will be kept away. The
present investigation Is not directed
against the peonage Of negroes, but
applies to white as we'll"
In substance, it was further stated,
that in the specific case now being
investigated before the federal grand
jury at Atlanta fifty German immf-
grannts had been induced to come to
Newman, Ca, by an immigration agent
in New York city, named Richardson,
who inserted an advertisement In
German paper for fifty immigrants
90 work in furniture factory; that
they signed no contract and were
taken to Newman, where they were
told the factory would not be In OPP
GRAFTON fer some days; that they were
placed at hard manual labor at $1.6
a Gay, out Of which they had to pay
81 per week on transportation, which
had been advanced them.
Several left Newman, but were COM
PEELED to return and complete the
terms of their contract. The German
consul at New York was appealed to
and In this way the matter found its
way into the department Of justice.
The law in regard to enforcing con-
tracts In Georgia applicable to charges
of peonage IS well known; and in
cases where persons have been COM
peHed to perform labor through force,
that portion of it applying to <receiv-
ing advance money with the intent to
defraud has been resorted to, 1t Is
alleged by the government and the
real intent of the law purposely mis- )
credited 80 as to put peonase into
practice although unconstitutional.
While the people Of Georgia are
perfectly cognizant Of the state and
federal laws applying to the case, they
have been so frequently imposed upon
by unscrupulous labor agents and
been so often buncoed by Immigrants
they feel it is very strange that spe-
cial officials should be sent to this
section instead of the west and north
west, where the same conditions pre-
vail, and are drawn to the conclusion
that politics does play part in the
matter, despite all protests that such
is not the case.
TN many cases." said the gentle
man referred to, ''these charges are
deliberately trumped up and some fed
eral officials are only too glad to
make capital of statements which If
investigated would prove a tissue OF
falsehoods. Many immigrants cone to
this state with no intention Of doing
labor and intend to jump US as SOON
Us they arrive. We are constantly be-
ing imposed on and it is only nat
ural we should attempt to protect our
selves. However, we do not commit
the abuses urged against us any more
than persons Of other sections"