The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-28

residential settlement generally for
the colored race at the proposed spot
which is only a few hundred yards
from the pumping station and source
of water supply Of the city Of Sumter.
will inevitably pollute and contanl-
nate that water supply, and will ul-
timately lead TO great danger to the
health of the community.
We beg to enclose you a copy OF
their Official report on the subject.
It should be manifest from read
ing this report that this ground OF
objection is serious, and you will be
obliged to assume that it will be
pressed in every way to prevent so
great a calamity to this entire COM
,munity.
This will, of course, result in an
absolute change of the kindly rela-
tons heretofore existing between the
races here, and will lead to a conol-
ton at once Objectionable, and which
should by all means be avoided by
the fair and just action Of your peo-
ple. who have become to be the ag-
gressors.
In the next place, the locality
now sought to be adopted by the col
lege constitutes generally the residen-
tial section of the white people of
the city Of Sumter, and its immediate
suburbs. Every other avenue lead
ing into the city of Sumter, except
the Broad street approach, has been
settled by the colored people in large
numbers, and our citizens are unal-
terably opposed to permitting the
colored race to hedge in the communi-
ty by locating their settlements, includ-
ing their Negro College, in the last
and only outlet for the extension. and
establishment Of the white settle
1t is needless for us to add other
and potent objections now occupying
the minds of our people, because up
on a calm reflection upon the whole
situation, it must become manifest
to your mind that the community
cannot tolerate what they regard as
an aggr ession on the part Of your
people, and that you should resort to
every proper means to endeavor to
change these plans before it be-
comes too late.
Our community has not deemed it
wise to agitate this matter in any
great publicity by holding meetings,
going into the press, etc., but they
have deemed it the part Of wisdom 10
confer with your people in a proper
spirit in the hope that It may lead u
results which raust prove beneficial
both Ito your race and to the white
people Of this city.
II these efforts at conciliation fail
we ere nor prepared TO STATE IN What
form Or to what extent tie position
of tn.S conanaunity xii assert icseif
but v,u ray rest assured that thel.
determination : gate complete %
assert its position by all lawful meth
DDS, and we hope that your good
sense and that of those who are act
ing with you will obvia1e all further
unpleasantness in this connection.
This subcommittee has had full
interview with the Rev. A. ]. Johnson
on Saturday evening last, who prom
ises to visit you at once and lay the
whole situation before you, and he
requested that reasonable time be
given for that purpose. Upon this
report being made to the general
committee, they approved the same,
and instructed this subcommittee to
ask that you informi US definitely
within a weeks tine what the cit1-
zer.s nay expect in this emergency
Very respectfully,
J. A. Mood,
Rich'd D. Lee.
S. H. Edmunds.