Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-04-20

The following interesting account
of the Atlanta Riot appears in The
American Magazine for April under
the caption of Following the Color
Line" and is from the pen OF Mr..
Ray Stannard Baker. II reads like
a novel and we shall continue TO
publish extracts from it in our next
issue.
Upon the ocean of antagonism be-
tween the white and Negro races in
this country, there arises occasionally
n wave. stormy in its appearance,
but soon subsiding into Quictudc.
Such wave was the Atlanta riot.
Its Ominous size, greater by far tnan
the ordinary race disturbances which
express themselves ia lynchings, a
harmed the entire country and awak-
ened in the South a new sense of the
dangers which threatened it.
A description of that spectacular
though superficial disturbance. the
disaster incident to its fury. and tne
remarkable efforts at reconstruction
Will lead the way naturally hui
man nature Is best Interpreted ia
moments of passion-to a clearer
understanding, In future articles, OF
the deep and complex race feeling
which exists in tnis country.
INFLAAIAIABLE CONDITIONS.
On .he twenty-second day OF Sep
tember, 1906, Atlanta had become a
veritable social tinder-box. For
months the relation of the races had
been growing more strained. The
entire South had been sharply an
nOyed by a shortage OF labor accom-
panied by high wages and, paradox
ically, by an increasing mum Der of
idle Negroes. In Atlanta the lower
class-the worthless Negro"-nad
been increasing in numbers: It show
ed itself too evidently among the
swarming saloons, dives. and "clubs"
which a complaisant city admins
tratiOn allowed TO exist in the very
heart of the city. Crime had in
creased to an alarming extent: an
insufficient and ineffective police
force seemed unable TO cope with it,
With a population of 1890 At
lanta had over 1900 arrests in
1905; in 1906 the number increased
to 2l,6O2 Atlanta had many more
arrests than New Orleans with near
ly three times the population and
twice as many Negroes; and almost
four times as many as Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, city nearly three times
as large.
RACE FEELING SHARPENED.
Race feeling had been sharpened
through long and bitter political
campaign, Negro disfranchisement|
being one of the chief issues under
discussion. An inbammatory play
called The Clansman," though for
hidden by public sentiment in many
Southern cities. had been given In
Atlanta and other places with the
effect Of increasing the prejudice of
both races.
THE MINISTERIAL WARNING.
Certain newspapers I'm Atlanta,
taking advantage of popular feeling
kept the race issue constantly agi-
tated, emphasizing Negro crimes
with startling headlines. One news
paper even recommended the forma-
tion OF organizations OF citizens in
imitation of the Ku Klux movement
or reconstruction days. In the cla-
NOR OF this growing agitation. the
voice OF the right-minded white peo-
PIE ana industrious, self-respecting
Negroes was almost unheard.
A few ministers of both races
saw the impending storm and sound
ed warning-to no effect; and with
In the week before the riot the cit
fzeas, the city administration and
the courts all walked up together.
Lnere were calls for mass-meetings,
the police began TO investigate the
conditions OF the low saloons and
dives. the county constabulary was
increased In numbers, the grand Jury
was called to meet In special session
on Monday the Gath.
But the awakening OF moral sem
ument In the city, unfortunately.
came too late. Crime. made more
'ursd ~ agitation, had 20 kindlsd