The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1908-09-25
Protest Against Night Riding.
New Orleans Picayune.)


New Orleans Picayune.)
Realizing the difficulty of financing |
a scheme for the holding of the entire /
cotton crop for higher prices, as has
been proposed by some parties, and /
recognizing the success of the parties /
engaged in the Tobacco Combination |
of Kentucky and Tennessee in pre-
venting by force and violence the /
marketing of tobacco in those States, /
some of the persons interested in cot /
ton in several States of the cotton /
belt have inaugurated a system for +
securing the holding of cotton by /
demonstrations OF Iawless violence +
similar to those that have been so +
successful in Kentucky and Tonnes I
see. As an energetic protest against /
such criminal methods, the Picayune I
prints the following which has been
received from Mississippi cotton |
planter and organizer of the Farmers /
Union. thus:
Sandersville, Miss, Sept. IS, 1905 |
Editor Picayune Sir / am mem |
Der of the Farmers Union and have
taken an active part as organizer IN
this State. / deplore the night riding /
spirit now creeping into the Southern
States, and I fear, if not speedily /
checked, it will not only bring our
Union into disgraceful disrepute, but
will disorganize society, create such /
a state of anarchy, incendiarism and /
murder as has never before been re-
corded The destruction of property
and other crimes committed by the
tobacco night riders and the Boxer
ant in
parison.
cannot deny that some members
of our Union are guilty. The fact Is,
l believe they are, and their number, +
fear is daily increasing, and this IS
why / am asking permission through /
your columns to urge every local
Union of the Farmers Educational
Union of America to pass the follow
ing or similar resolution, which IS not
only publishing to the world our prin-
Ciples but our determination to en-
force them. it, perchance, we not de
lay and find ourselves powerless 10
act:
whereas, 1t is reported that GER
tain persons unknown to us have been
posting notices on cotton gins and
elsewhere to cease operations, with |
threats of iucendiarism and murder II
they refuse; therefore be IL
Resolved That the fundamental
principles of the Farmers Educational /
and Cooperative Union of America
are opposed to any such acts, and we
hereby denounce the same as the /
heinous crime of an anarchist and
cowardly assassin, who IS wholly /
unfit and intolerabie as mem /
Der of our Union, which is founded /
upon the principles of Justice and /
equity and the Golden Rule given by /
Jesus Christ TO his disciples.
Resolved, further, That any per- I
son guilty of such crime, or Of aiding /
and abetting such crime, or of know /
ing who is guilty and not reporting
the same 20 the proper officers of the /
law. should be forever excluded from /
membership in the f. +. and &. ia. |
Resolved, further, That any local |
Union of the Farmers Educational |
and Cooperative Union which refuses |
or neglects to expel from its member |
ship and publish to the world any one |
guilty of such crime, or of such night I
riding practices as lately prevailed in /
the tobacco region of Kentucky and |
neighboring States, should have it's |
charter Immediately and forever for |
feited.p
l offer the above resolutions to ev- |
cry local Union of farmers in the cot !
ton States, with fun confidence that |
they not only embody their senti- |
ments, but that each one will see the |
necessity for early and prompt ac
ton. J. L. BONNER.
The night riders in the tobacco dis |
tricts of Kentucky never would have
been able to carry on with impunity |
their highhanded outrages but for the |
fact that they were either encouraged |
and protected by the State authori- /
ties or the said authorities were so
terrified and inundated that they
dared not lift a hand. At any rate, |
the people of the tobacco region of |
Kentucky are living under reign of
terror, the commands of the outlaws |
who rule the country being enforced |
with murder and cOnfiagration.
The Picayune, in referring to this /
matter several days ago, asked if the |
cotton States were to be subjected to |
similar frightful rule of assassina-
ton and burnings. The answer de- |
ponds upon the character and temper /
of the respective State authorities. If |
they sympathize with the objects and |
designs of the incipient outlaws, there ]
will be the same sort of trouble If /
the State authorities are inundated /
or otherwise overcome the quality 4
and standing of the parties who pro- /
pose TO inaugurate a course of VIC /
lence, there will be no recourse but 1
to submit. But if the authorities are I
alive to the fact that they are custo- /
dams and guardians of the order of
society, the protectors of the lives, /
rights and property of peaceable and
law abiding people, and are not afraid
TO do their duly, the outlaws may
start their game, but they will soon
be brought up with round turn. Ev-
erything depends upon the sort of
stuff of which the State authorities
are made.
-ReWard-Si00.
The readers of this paper will be II