Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-06-12

GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH"
The New York Sun. in its issue
Of the eth inst. seems TO understand
fully the situation relative 90 the is
sues involved in the employment of
colored fremen on the Georgia rail-
road and says:
10 is perfectly well understood in
Georgia. and for that matter through
out the Southern States. but does not
seem 20 have dawued as yet upon
the consciousness of the outer world.
that an that are best among the
whites favor the idea of the negro
fremen. and an that are most shift
less ana irresponsible and iusensate
are ON the other side
This is the statement of "a fact that
is plainly evident to anyone who has
taken the time TO investigate the
subject IL continues.
The negro stands today very much
where he stood when q slave before
the civil war His friends and sympa-
thizers then were Of the class 20
which his owners belonged His
friends and sympathizers today are
the descendants of those owners and
their social ConEeners. whereby we
mean the great mass OF the cultivated
together with the land holders and
the taxpayers. The negro's enemies
before the war" were the Crackers.
the sand Killers and the wool hatters
who were treated as less important
than a well fed slave negro and re-
scented TO- accordingly. His enemies
today are the descendants Of those
ancient antagonists. In the emotions
has been no change OF importance in
three hundred years The same old
hatred and resentmeuts survive. the
same vendettas keep 60 their stolid
and relentless paths. The antebellum
Cracker shivering against his
rickety fence. surveyed the pampered
driver Of the planters coach and
turned yellower than ever In his slow
moving rancor. The Cracker" Of
the present time hates The progeny
OF the former slave with all the an
cient passion.
This is the gospel truth. This
position is emphasized by the suns
emphatic comment Here it is:
There IS nothing else in it. Not
that have beset the Georgia railroad
stations wants TO work or would
know how to do il IL ne had the
chance. They want 20 Danish the
negro from his occupation. and the
railway companies may go hang for
an they care.
Now, this is rather a blunt way Of
stating the case. but it is certainly
the unvarnished truth. The Sun is
equally as fortunate in its language
when it says:
on the other side are the prefer
ences and sympathies of the suhstan-
tial and responsible elements OF the
population. They are restrained in
the matter of their demonstrations
by sense OF accountability 10 So
ciety, but their feeling is deep seated
earnest. traditional and in emergen-
cy available. It is idle. of course to
try TO explain these problems 10
Northern people who have neither
the time nor the inclination TO ex-
anime them. The academic class in
spects the educated negro as a new
and interesting specimen, while
others have no leisure to waste upon
him; but the great mass OF negro ar
tisans, mechanics, &C, are native to
the South. Under the changed con-
ditions induced by the civil war they
retain the respect and the good will
OF the sons and grandsons OF their
former masters. They occupy the
places once occupied by their progen-
ltors under slavery, and are environ
cd ~ the same affection and solicit
tude' but the mob talks nowadays
and the gentry hold their tongues
The reason is that HIKE Smith. the
mob leader. is Governor. and Josepb
Brown, the friend Of law and order
sun awaits inauguration
The struggle is gathering. II will
spread beyond Georgia. and the end
OF 1t no man may prophesy.
IL is surprising that the above ed
itorial remarks are not from the pen
OF southerner Of the old school or
one Of his offspring. When the writer
says. The mob talks nowadays and
the gentry hold their tongues" he
has stated the situation in a nut
shell. But few more Georgia Rail.
road strikes, where southern white
men are managing the railroads and
northern white men are financing
them, and there Will be an awaken
ing Of all parts Of the country to the
value of the Industrious. thrifty Ne
groes in contrast to the worthless
ness of the trihing. loafing white
men. When we note the Injustice
being visited upon us and the riffs