The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-02-10
NIGHT RIDERS in IaEo1sisIa \.

(From the Atlanta, Ga. IndependentlB'
The Independent halls: with deIAsfit
the investigation instituted down SfStTfa;
Columbia county by Governor BF6RnS
to inquire into the conditions. preuaiI.ft
Ing down there between the ;races3 4
1t seems from press dispatches aslsfs
other Information furnished the Ind
pendent that the lawless ,eleneI&Sfafst
whites, under cover Of night -, 1af9ss
burning down Negro school hpuSeR.
churches and lodge rooms and axsSf
polling law.1abiding and proper
holding Negroes from the coSntS: ~
The Independent has been informed
by Negro secret order men that b.
tain element Of whites in the ep1Inty
has made life, unbearable,1 and that
they are forced to leaveS their hsIneaS
and families and flee from the county n
for safety; that they haYe been Or b
dered not to meet in etIT1lodge5
rooms or churches or assemble to-
gether. Why these conditions subt aAn
there seems To he no satisfactorily ax=-4ss
PLANTATION. I'VE. @|1 -, ifassss I8 saa4i
ColuUbia county. IS IaFge1 AM anssT
ricultural settlement, where the Whtfessa
farmers depend most largely, on cSliss,;
ored-iabor, and.-wl1y- the law=ahffd h..
white men allow the shiftless elemeiEC
Of their race to impose upon, nj ir4 ss
der and expel from the CO fnY1fifSi IA 1T ~
the only class OF labor they have i8fH.
question the Independent can not ana
swer. 1t is Earnestly; hoped that ;Goyas
ernor Brown will go to the tom sSlfS5
| 1t, and not have Kentucky and TBu-S
nessee. conditions obtain In Ge6rgf&s
There Is no question about theTedf-S
cheney Of the law; the law is AMPLE.
and, strong enough to remedy TIL sase
conditions, il the officers of the lssssts
have moral courage enough IL to do I
their plain duty as they havsIsshas
light to see it. 4 4is,,
The Negro Is a citizen; he is IaWsss
abiding, he Is passive, he is obedianh
rand humble, and is entitled to. the
projections oftthe law. The Governor
OF Georgia and the auth critics Stfs
Columbia county owe to every eiti9AH
ample protection to life and pr0pe&ky9
and 1t Is earnestly hoped that GbYah
ernor Brown will afford the helpless
Negroes in Columbia county; ppusessS5
ton to life, liberty and propeFtYss
These are. constitutional rights taskks
the state vouchsafes to the citizens,
and there is no element in GeeEsiES
so au-powerful that the constituta&s
authorities can not suppress It. ;|@
The Independent. believes that thssss.
good white people Of Columbia ceuhsa
ty are as much opposed, to 1&Wlatss
ness and rioting as good white psgpfsts
In other parts of the state, and BE- Sheg
authorities will do their duty 8Esds
Icall upon the law-abiding element Ses
assist them in, the suppression at
crime, they will receive all the cp1plS1
Grafton necessary to bring these
bloody murderers and night assaasfnB
to justice. Every citizen; he he White
or black. is vonchaafed, the righh TO-
peacefully assemble for g,shsetsasa, fssaa,s
cial and religious, benefits, and the;
Governor Of the state, the commando,
|er~in-chief of the military. fafssa,
ought to use his good Offices and an..g
thority to. protect every citizen In the,
enjoyment Of these inalienable rights.
--v~~---A----e--as-~---------~ &.:&s Ky.