The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-09-18
EDITORIALS OF MERIT
To Deport Negroes From Mississippi

To Deport Negroes From Mississippi
A member Of the Mississippi Leg
/ islature. one who has given the sub
/ ject much thought, has the rough
draft of a bill which he l. thinking
OF introducing at the January session
OF that body i'll the interest of har-
mony between the races in this state,
. The measure i a short one and is as
follows
A Bill providing for deportins the
negroes from Mississippi-means for
carrying same into effect and for
other purposes.
Section l. Be it enacted by the
Mississippi Legislature. that as some
Of the press is stating that the ne-
groes are undesirable citizens: a nc
mace to the peace and welfare OF the
state: retarding its growth and de
velopment: and that this should be
an exclusive white peoples common
wealth. that from and after the first
day OF January, 1912. it shall be un-
lawful for any negro to live in the
state OF Mississippi. and any found
in the state from and after that date
shall be deemed guilty OF felony.
and be arrested as such
Section ,. That on and after the
first day OF January, 1912. any negro,
male or female. OF any age or com
plexion of skin. found within the
state shall be liable to arrest and
imprisonment by any lawful officer
empowered to make arrests and con
fined within the county jails. there to
remain until they are dejorted from
the state. funds for their deportation
to be supplied by the negroes so ar
rested their relatives or friends. to-
gcthcr with all costs incurred by the
officers in making the arrests. con
lining and victualing the said offend
ing negroes.
Section 3. That all peace officers
in the state OF Mississippi are re
quired to see that the provisions of
the preceding sections are rigidly
enforced on and after the first day
Of Ian. 1912: failure to do so being
deemed sufficient cause-and viii be
considered As prima facic evidence
against them-for their removal from
office by the governor OF the state OF
Mississippi: and all such offending
officers shall be forever barred from
) holding any office of profit. trust or
I honor hereafter in the state of Mis-
sissippi
Section I. That all laws hereto
fore passed by the legislature OF the
; state Of Mississippi in conflict with
this act arc hereby repealed.
Section :. That tbs act take cf-
, feet and be in force from and after
January 1. 1912.
: To the minds OF some the contem-
g plation OF the introduction OF such
: bill as the one proposed might
seem as the heighth OF folly Be this
: as it may. there is no doubt but whal
r its passage would put at rest the con
slant agitation Of the race question
/ as far as Mississippi Is concerned
. and which Is doing more to bring or
a conflict between the two races thar
: all other combined agencies Ths
i negroes must either be allowed t.
: live III the state peacably or the1
= should be deported To deport then
: or make them leave the state quitel,
d would be better than to continue tn,
4 agitation OF a question that must in
evitbly result in bloodshed
True after the adoption OF the con
/ stitHtion in 1900. it was thought tina
d the negro question was settled as IA
: as this state was concerned and suct
!. was fact until few years ago
d when designing politicians and rae,
: agitators. having no other way o
t getting Office begun afresh the agita
/ ton which has grown into BITTERNESS.
1 as the years rolled by until now W;
t see that the home of almost every ne
c gro Is an arsenal, and that the rae,
!, has grown from an inoffensive I'm
: revengeful one 70 one that now ha
numbers. who. upon the ueast pro
5 vocation. seek to redress wrongs will
a resort to firearms
i Ii the negroes are to be allowed
{ TO remain in the safe. far better vii
{ it be to allow them to STAY in peace
;, If such is not 10 be. then the pas