Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-26

crop is harry st ID or the debt paid But
you ask: Can he not jump the gamer
He cannot. He would not find another
employer If he should do so. The plant
Hls have gen raj understanding among
themselves that none OF them shall en-
gage the services of negro until I has
been ascertain ID VIII Their his slate at
his last place o employment is 81 an
To Violath thiS understanding is
breach of business etiquette. 1t would
mean social ostracism. and, although
there is no law gulating the matt Il. II
would, If persist d in, re suit In even more
opinion on this subject that It has be-
come fixed rule that no one must. under
any circumstances. monkey with an
other mans niggers,' without a, Least
changes by the negro hands. but none
by those In debt until the obligation Is
discharged. Their is no peonage here
but the large operators do not hesitate
to defend the peonage system as enc of
merit for protection against irresponsible
employees.
Does System Work Hardship or
Benefit
Does the system in vogue here work a
hardship or does it inure to the advan-
tage of the negro? To make satisra Glory
response to this question would require
far more research than the writer has
been able to make. The white people
will tell you that no other course is prac-
ucable asserting that the average negro
is without sense of obligation. They
declare that many of the race would
never pay their debts unless compelled so
to do. Moreover. the negro race Is ap-
parently without foresight; there is sell
dom anything on hand for a rainy day
no money in the purse. II there is a purse,
and no meat in the smokehouse when
there is a smokehouse. Often. oftener
than otherwise, there would be suffering
but FOR the accommodation to be procured
from the plantation store. Thither the
man in want instinctively wends his
way, and there, under the present sys-
tenn of security for debt, his wants are
always satisfied to the extent of his abil-
ity to pay. 1t is a purely patriarcha!
system. The negro is almost as depend
ent upon the white man as he ever was,
and is almost as sure to find some one
to supply his needs on the same old con-
dition that he make return In labor Can
the scheme be improved upon? Can
we let the niggers mo one by any mis-
chance says negroes) starve? Can we
feed and clothe and house them without
some return?'' ask the whites. If they
also ask you whether the blacks appear
to be di satisfied you will be compelled to
answer in the negative. The black peo-
pie hereabouts ara certainly a ppy
people; the ArcadianS were never more
contented If one may judge from appear
ances.
They get no recognition, either social or
political. nor do they demand any. Not
even do they think of treatment as equals
but they willingly take the rank of in
feriors. The negro who meets you in
the road invariably turns out for you. and
no negro ever thinks OF going to the
polls in this vicinity. / am told that
not since the new state constitution en-
bodying the educational and property
qualification and containing the familiar
satrsQ n Fslf h6Y~ ftDta .ok
few years ago. have more than a few
negroes voted at any place in the state,
and that in this Section none have even
made attempt to do so. Apparently
they have lost the ambition which for
merly possessed them to participate in
politics Suppose they should make the
effort?' you ask and are told in reply
that there is no danger; that they know
better The whites admit frankly that
they do not expect the nego to ever
again exercise the right of franchise.
With black population five times as
great as the white population and with
reconstruction days still wildly r.mem--
oered by many persons, there is certainly
no prospect of INN ediate change. I'VE
are willing to accept the negro In his
place and treat him WE'LL they say in
effect. but not to raise him TO a plane
on which he can make any claims to po-
easily attain If permitted to vote
In addition to being fed and clothed
the negroes are generally housed by the
whites. and their houses are conforta-
Bile, far more SO than are some of the
negro cabins in Virginia and Kentucky,
and even more Sd than many of the habi-
tationS of the race in most cities. But
beyond these favors and the casonal
patronizng conversation with and uni
formly friendly greeting to individuals.
there is little recognition. There were
ffty-two deaths among the whites when
the yellow fever was here three years
ago." said lady in Lake Prov dence,
and she added. as If 1t were a mere
after thought, we didn't count the mig
gers" This incidental expression throws
more light upon the situation than could
a long dissertation.
Property Accumulated by Blacks.
Occa sionally one hears Of a negro who
has come into the ownership OF d piece
of land. and he is spoken of in friendly
terms. There is no encouragement of
ambition in the direction of property ac-
by the blacks when It does not
interfere with the large holdings On
the contrary, the nego who manifests a
disposition to improve his fortunes IS
well regarded. True, there is some show
of condescension in the recognition he
receives, but it is still kindly, and goes
far toward indicating that T. the race
SHOULD rise 20 tlle proper TedllZalloH OIL
its responsibilities men and women
it may count upon tolerance and
square deal within bounds. There is.
little prospect of tn. negroes
being permitted to acquire land to any
great extent until the big plantations are
broken up The disposition on the part
of the land owners seems to be to hold
oh to all they have and to acquire more
rather than to sell to small farmers. and
until this policy is changed tn r. will
be little opportunity for either blacks or
non holding whites to secure substantial
fuothold in this section: nor until then
will the much-desired immigrant find
inducement 10 settle in the lower Mis-
siss.ppi valley.
These are sOCle of the questions which
impress themselves upon the casual Wis
itor here. and surely they are OF impor-
tance sufficient to justify attention at the
hands even of the President of the United
States when the chase pals.
Bride Shoots Her Husband.
AUGUSTA, Ark. October -Enragcd
at language used by her husband when