The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-12-01

"Peonage IS not general IN the
South" according to Mrs. Mary Grace
Quackenbos, special assistant TO the
attorney general of ths United States
assigned tot investigate charges of
this nature.
OF course it is not general. NoI
one even superficial conversant with
industrial conditions in this section
ever believed that it was.
The implication that the observ-
ance of the principles Of slavery was
possible throughout one OF the most
intelligent and populous sections OF
the country, IS farc.al on its face. 1t
carries its own refutation. But that
fact mas not availed to save the south
at regular intervals from being pill
loried before the nation by federal
investigation" as the territory rid
r-den by serfdon, in whose bounds
the personal liberty Of the domestic
or foreign immigrant was liable, at
any time, to be violently abbreviated.
Like most Misrepresentation, this
especial one, which has also been III
dustrially Circulated throughout Eu-
rope, IS founded on a n1odicum OF
quasi-truth. In the percentage OF
about one TO the thousand, perhaps
cases of peonage have existed in tbs
south. Where present they were the
outgrowth of the characteristic disre
gard of his contractural obligations
by the negro laborsr, or the ignor
ance and misunderstanding of the
-oreign nnm grant The Same thing
might happen in any part of tbs
world
Such instance in the south have
oeen exceptional, negligible. They
we're as a drop in the bucket eompar-
4 ed to other regular offense against
Raw, north and south, but on account
IF which no sane man would dream
81 branding an entire paople or
system with lawlessness.
Still, these infnitesimal infractions
OF the peonage law have, by widely
/ advertised and persistent federal in
quiries which generally end in smoke
been made the means of branding
the entire south with the onus Of a
crime which is infinitely rarer than
other violations of the law, north and
outh, and which is condemned il
both sections.
The very word "peonage" has beer
the signal for exaggerated yellow
journal eruptions, with the obscure
line or two given to the exoneratior
which occurred in nine out of ter
instances.
] Why should the south be signal
ed out for these repeated assaults
upon her good name2
There are more iniquities, deliber
ately contraventing the constitutions
!, and statutes practiced under tn,
"padrone system" IN New York il
one day than in the tier Of southerl
states in year.
If the government is looking TO
peonage cases against which to I'M
timber its heavy guns, ii can find am
| pie material here.
: It might also investigate condition
IN the far west, where abuses of TIL
immigration and labor and persona
liberty laws are sufficiently frequen
and fragrant to be susceptible o
/, proof, following close investigation
The people OF the south know tines
conditions exist, sporadieally, ir
r other portions of the country. Blu
! they are too intelligent. to JUST t
r indiet the entire. industrial system .
5 these sections on that account.
j The south pleads for a simila
/ square deal The effect of immigra
ton is subsidiary. That problem vi
g solve itself. What it does protes
against IS the incessant furnishing c
its good name on absurd grounds
9 Atlanta Constitution.
i The Herald wishes to conpl;rner
. the Constitution fer clearer obsel
j yatian and truer comprehension {
: the Quack Quaekellboss investigate
! than some papers that have eonsidai
I ed her recent peonage parades an
$ poses at close range. This last par.
graph Of the Constitution article "
!. especially desire TO endorse In tt
n qtfould interview Mrs. Q says FIJI
: Their.
81 4One thing which / am conpslle
n to tight against IS the fact that fe
d persons as yet realize my motives al
y purposes. With the proper suppo
believe I can completely wipe O
le peonage in the south within the ne.
y year.
i How patronizi1g and condescen
J. ing the sistance attorney gener
IS Al. Our officials and our laws ben
ii unequal 70 the task. this gradautc
te New York sIsa,1 an settleznent wol
u WITH uo more ksaowIedse of the 20