The Washington herald., 1907-03-10
PEONAGE FIGHT Is ON
May Involve Conflict with
Southern States.
NEW LABOR PROBLEM EXISTS
Contracting Employers Find Sym
pHthy Among People who See Re-
tardment of Southern Development
in Agitation Against Holding the
Workers in Bondage.

! The determination OF the President,
/ through the Department of Justice, to
stamp out peonage may involve stupen-
dous conflict between the Federal govern
ment and the Southern States. 1t is be-
! lieved that only great tact and a spirit Of
earnest cooperation can avoid this result.
Investigations already concluded have
disclosed shocking conditions in certain
Southern communities that exceed the
most brutal phases Of the slave-holding
period They have also made apparent
the fact that powerful commercial and
manufacturing interests are aggressively
arraying themselves against interference.
and these influences are attempting TO
bring 70 their side the powerful aid Of the
State governments by effective pleas of
Federal encroachment.
The imperative need of the South for
labor to meet the increasing wave Of in
dustrial. commercial, and agricultural
growth has precipitated a labor problem
the like Of which has never before arisen
in this country.
For this reason. largely, the interests
which are attempting TO hold men in abb
solute bondage are finding many we'll
meaning and influential people who are
inclined TO sympathize with their claim
that the North is engaged in an effort to
retard The progress Of the South.
Only Surface Is Touched.
The Department OF Justice believes il
yestigation. 1t is understood that the
disclosures thus far made point to an APP
palling condition that may affect at least
four States
IL is charged that transportation lines
which convey the men to the lumber
camps the phosphate deposits, and
turpentne camps may not be wholly in
nocent of improper practices, and that
the commercial houses which furnish sup
plies to these industries may have more
than d selfish interest in the peonage
practices.
Men are secured from the larger cities
under iattering promises Of employment
as cooks. teamsters, artisans. clerks, and
bookkeepers. They are advanced money
for their transportation. When they
reach their destination they find them
selves far removed from civilization, IN
an inhospitable camp and no work but
that Of extreme hardship.
Men Housed in Shacks.
The houses in most cases are mere
shacks, with earth floors and no furnish
ings. They cannot leave, because they
are already in debt for their transporta-
ton. II some unIucky fellow should al
night break through his guards and reach
a settlement he can be, and is, appre-
hended by the local authorities under a
law which prohibits attempting to escape
a creditor. II he refuses 20 return. ae is
imprisoned. Those men remaining at the
camp must incur further Indebtedness by
purchasing the necessary furnishings and
food supplies from the company stores.
Very frequently there are medical bills
for IN many cases the camps are in low
lands. where the men have To work i'm /
wet ground during the rainy season.
Between twenty and thirty indictments
have already been found against various |
firms and corporations in Southern 1
Florida Perhaps the most important Of 4
these are those against Chief Engineer /
Meredith and Assistant Engineer Krone /
Of the Florida East Coast Railway. who
are engaged in building an extension Of /
the line from Miami to Key West
Railroad Wen Indicted.
The grand jury at Jacksonville recently /
indicted these men on charges Of whole /
sale peonage. The evidence in the case
was presented by Assistant Attorney
General Russell It was shown that hun /
dreds of white and colored laborers are /
being kept in condition Of frightful /
slavery on many of the little keys there.