The broad ax., 1909-09-11
NEGRO TOWN LOSES CHARTER.
Alabama Legislature Decides That
Administration Was UnWise.

1
Hobson City, Aha, Sept 4-O9.-The
only city in the United States undel
: the exclusive control Of Negroes was
officially killed when Gov B. B
Conner to-day signed a bill conceline
fits charter. The bill was passed al
the special session Of the Legislature
which adjourned tonight.
: The town was named after Rich
mOnd Pearson Hobson, in memory OF
the Spanish war deeds Of the Ala.
bamian. and was Incorporated by a
special law. It elected a Mayor and
Board of Alderman, confining the
nominees. Of course. to members Of tn
Black race. Only Negroes lived in
the town. which had . population Of
about 500.
II was found by Representative
Cooper, Of Calhoun County, in which
the Negro town was located, that the
Government had been unwise.
The excuse submitted above why
the charter of Hobson City, Ala,
should be revoked is scarcely an ex-
cuse at all. That the Legislature Of
Alabama can be called into special
session at the expense Of taxpayers
and for no other purpose than to re-
woke the charter of the only Negro
city in the State and country, seems
scarcely creditable. And yet this is
the true state Of affairs.
The reason given for this unusual
prank is that the government Of the
city was "unwise." What is to be
understood from "unwise? Was the
government OF the city "unwise" be-
cause it was bad. OF because its rep
resentatives were Colored. No charge
of bad government was alleged I
against the city. Then it must have
been unwise upon the sole ground
that the government of the city was
Colored. Is a Negro government ip-
so facto bad? The South would seek
to convey that idea
It is a strange anomaly the State
Of Alabama presents anyway. The
whites don't want the Negroes among
them and whenever Negroes betake
themselves to themselves these same
whites find some pretex for the pur-
pose Of remaining among Negroes.
The whites in the South have two
ideas in view: 1. To remain in a
position to exploit Negroes at will,
and especially Colored women. 2.
Hobson City was a concession that
Negroes are capable of self-govern-
ment. and it is this thought that the
South would seek to crush out both
in the minds Of Negroes and the
country at large. Finding Hobson
City a startling success under Negro
the State of Alabama
could stand no longer to see a nv-
ing refutation Of its ancient and cher
ished contention of inferiority Of the
Black race. Hence. It called a spe-
ciaI session of the Legislature to can
eel the charter OF Hobson City, in
order that it may turn out the Negro
officials and put in whites.
The present attitude of the South
Is not only one of repression, but OF
so to speak. Just 4
the other day a Colored man was v
ynched in Texas because a white
nan had taken his COW, and he went
% law to have the COW replevined. ?
All such actions as these are indi-
cative of deeper currents of feeling u
These lawless acts may be the pre-
cursor of great era of travail in the ,
South. And what the birth Of such h
IN era will bring forth We are not y
permitted to say We think, however,
hat it will be an era Of bloOdshed,
n which the nation will be called o
lpon to pay the price of lawlessness q
n the South in the same manner as u
{ had to pay the price Of human
slavery in the South in 1863. {
The laws Of changeless justice bind II
Oppressor with oppressed; L
As close as sin and suffering Joined.
We march to fate abreast. ."-Ex.
II must be remembered that Gov. a
,omer of Alabama, and Booker Taft D
are great friends and as
he great begging wizard Of Tuske- o
zee, maintains that the Negro must
continue to occupy humble positions f
n the South and forever remain the n
newer Of wood and the drawer Of "
water, the chances are he induced q
iov. Conner. to revoke the charter
4 Hobson City, Alabama. in order
o keep the Negro out of politics. :, !,
editor. =