The Washington bee., 1912-02-24
THE PE0NAGE SYSTEM
GIVEN 4 KNOCKOUT BLOW BY THE TAFT.
ADMINISTRATION
Attorney General Wckershams Activity inaProsecuting
Peonage
SUPREME COURTS DECISION IN BAILEY CASE 4 TRIUMPH FOR
FREEDOM
/ Wickersham's Activity inaProsecuting
Peonage

Colored citizens generally are very
often heard 10 complain bitterly that
the federal government does not en-
force the war amendments OF the
constitution Much that the federal
government does IN this respect very
often goes unnotiCed. Undoubtedly
the most important OF these amend
ments, if any one OF them may be said
to be more important than another,
IS the Thirteenth Amendment, which
abolished slavery and which was IN
tended to secure to every man the
right to individual liberty and free
dom from servitude Of any kind eN-
cept as a punishment for crime
whereof he has been duly convicted
The Attorney General under the
present administration has not only
been active in the prosecution OF the
trusts. but a great deal OF time and
attention have been given to the en-
fOrCement OF peonage statutes and
laws enacted by Congress to make
more effective the provisions OF the
Thirteenth Amendment
The decision Of the Supreme Court
in the AlOnzO Bailey base, rendered
last term by Mr.. Justice Hughes,
holding unconstitutional the State law
Of Alabama under which Bailey was
held as a peOn, in which Attorney
General Wickersham and Assistant
Attorney General Harr appeared as
AmiCus Curiae, was distinct TIL
umph for the cause of freedom. 1t
should be remembered that 1t was not
the official duty Of the Attorney Gen
eral to appear IN this case, his act was
wholly voluntary in the interest OF
the enforcement of the Thirteenth
Amendment and the peOnage statutes
The report Of the Attorney General
Tor 1911, gives two pages TO the sub
iect Of the enforcement OF the peon-
age statutes. The report says:
The vigorous enforcement OF the
statutes against peOnage, conducted
by the department in the last few
wears. il is believed has done much
toward stamping out that form OF IN
voluntary servitude iii many districts,
but in some of the Southern States
this practice appears to be still quite
extensively carried on. Prosecutions
under the peOnage statutes have been
instituted in nearly all the Southern
States. and in a few States not IN the
South"
The report also recommends that
The statutes of the United State:
upon the subject of peOnagc and sla
verv should be amended so as to rem
der them more effective for the pro
lection of persons against slavery anC
involuntary servitude, except as a
punishment for crime.
Here, it would seem, is a large helC
for the workers of the race to secure
from Congress laws necessary to ren
der more effective the Thirteenth
Amendment, and thus make more Sc
cure the lives and liberty OF then
brethren in the South.
The records will show that prOsecu
tions of persons for violating the
peonage statutes have been instituted
in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Geor
Ola. Kentucky. Louisiana, Mississippi
Missouri. North Carolina, South Car
olina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ten
nessee, Texas. and other States Con
victions have resulted in Alabama
Arkansas. Florida, Georgia, AIssIsslp
pi Missouri. North Carolina, Virgins
and West Virginia. with prosecution
still pending in Kentucky. LouIslan
and Texas. In a number of case
prison sentences have been impose
against men OF wealth and standing i
addition to being sentenced to pa
heavy fines. The local United State
ATTORNEYS have had the assistance c
sDecial agents Of the Department c
Justice and the assistance OF SpecIl
attorneys in the prosecution OF thes
cases. Great credit should be give
them for the courage and yigor VIII
which they have tried to entorc
laws under circumstances where il
ries might be expected to be slow
convict.
Federal Judges, notably Judge En-
ory Speer, of Georgia, and Jude
Thomas Tones. OF Alabama, have bee
most outspoken and courageous
their charges to the grand juries COZ
sidering these cases, in their respec
I'VE districts. 4 few more years {
this kind of campaign, wsth the assIs
ance of Congress, ought to result
stamping out peOnage ana mNolui
tarv servitude of all kinds,
If will be recalled that just after Il
war the Southern States passed
rreat many black laws for the pu
nose of re-enslaving the Negro, a
ri which they were required to strll
from their statutes before re-admlttt
into the Union, or rather into partlc
nation in the national government.
Various devices have been ust
since to accomplish the same resul
such devices as 'vagrant laws
Landlord and tenant laws" false pr
fences" the claim of Indebtedness
etc. many a man has been held as
virtual slave in the turpentine cam
and contractors stoc1ades by coe
cion and brute force. One of Il
methods used if a person desires Il
o-.-;ca- of \ Iaborer yvbO has bTOk-i