The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-08-15
GEORGIA Observation-Disclosures

The passage of a law in Georgia
DISTINGUISHING Negroes brings forth
the following from the New York
Evening Post:
Close upon the heels of it's drastic
prohibition law, the legislature of
georgia has passed an equally dras-
tic d1sfranchisement bill, aimed at
the Negroes. The one is meant to.
be a measure of general social unfit
benef1ting alike the untutored Negro
and the poor white; the other is
, to close the door of political hope in
the faces, Of one million of it's citi-
zens upon whom Georgia largely de-
ponds for its labor, and therefore
Its prosperity and progress. In a re-
pupllc based on political. equality,
the Negroes in Georgia are hence
forth to be ruled without a voice in
their government, taxed without rep
reSentatlon, and deprived of the
most precious weapon for the preser-
walton of political rights bal
lot.
Now, if Georgia had been for
years past the scene of serious racial
strife; if there had been frequent
b1oodshed over elections and con-
slant public irritation over race
conflicts at the ballot box; or If GER
tain communities were grooming unde
black misrule, there would perhaps
De some excuse for this new law,
AS matter Of fact, the white man
mas Tor years had everything his own
way In Georgia; no Negro candidates
nave been in the field, and. no white
candidate has felt compelled to cater
TO the Negro vote. The Republican
To fnl,
naturally belonged, has been at a
low eDb; and therefore the inner
ring or the democratic party has
had things entirely it's own way And
e, yet the Negro has been the convent
emit, Or the only issue. Let him be as
laW-aD1dlng as you please; let him
snow you evidences of that extra
ordinary rise of his race within forty
= years-Wh1ch SO good a Southerner
as henry WattersOn has described
as one OF the wonders of our times,
or or any times-and he still can
not save himself from being the foot
pall or the politicians. He has sub
mltted to dlsfranchisement in the
= nope that this would take him ont
: or pol1ttcs-but always in vain. I'm
a. less the railroad issue is to reliev-
d, MIN for a while, he must continue
:. to be the subject of such a senator
1al campaign as has just occurred in
i mississippi, or of the recent guberna.
( tortal contest in Georgia. He is the
4 deTAagogue's most valuable asset
4 whether that demagogue be a man OF
culture and family, like Hoke Smith
+ OF low boor of the Davis and Var
daman type.
- Nevertheless, the Negro has push
I&ed his way upward undismayed, ant
n some recent fiurges show that, what
8 ever excuse the members Of the
b Georgia Legislature have for disfran
chtstng him, it cannot be one whicf
upon his industrial progress
e For. instance, In 1866 the Georgi;
u Negroes owned but 10000 acres O
Land; by 1876 they held 457,63!
s5acres, and ten years later 8O2,939
4 An 1896 they had passed the million
{: mark, and in 1906 they paid take
8 ION j 100000 acres that they owne,
and on which they wer
a,S$assessed $7,000,200. Their stoc1
had increased in value in the sam
sAaorty years from $4,000 to 5000
GsfO0O1 their city property had gon
mp from $4,000 to $5,850,0OC
while the value Of their church pero
& gpSrty, from being 100000, has nov
become $5,2O0,000' The assesse
SsgaIue OF their property, exclusive 0
schools and churches, has grow
since slavery from s450,00O to $23
2I8,468. This is the wealth the
3 hsve created for themselves sine
they started out In rags and who
sly illitereate, in 1865. What els
EI5Akhey have contributed to the wealt
n snf Georgia by the labor OF thei
hands probably no man could est
~ mate,
4. tsg But now their reward FOR all thi
s &ss ~ law which declares that the
SasAM never have voice in sayin
IS8ONs the wealth they have create
~ hnIl be Administered or controlle
Ssae state, which they support wit
taxes. This law Is patterne