The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-11-05
RURAL RACE SEGREGATION.
New Law Proposed by the Progress
slve Farmer Exciting Widespread
Interest Throughout the South -
What 1t Is.

To the Editor: Will you be kind
enough to give me space-slnce the
idea is so new, since it has excited so
much interest, and since so many
people are ignorant of my exact pur-
pose by the policy of race segrega-
ton 1 have been advocating for the
rural South?
But to begin with. let me say a
word as to the imperative need for
some such remedy as 1 have been
urging. 1 know when began this ag-
itation that thousands and thousands
Of white farmers in all parts of the
South were being forced from their
homes for social reasons by the
growing number of negroes around
them Gas my own father was), but l
did not then know how widespread
are the evils resulting from our pres
ent indiscriminate sandwiching of
white and negro farmers.
Situation Demands Remedy.
The hundreds Of earnest messages
from farmers and even more earnest
messages from farmers wives and
daughters, have opened my eyes. A
white farmer may have bought land
in what he expected to remain forev-
er a white community, may have
built a good home with this expecta-
ton. ordering his whole life accord
ingly. And yet some nonresident
owning land adjoining him may put
any kind Of negroes on it. terrorizing
the farmers wife and daughters, de-
stroying the social life Of the commu-
nifty, depreciating the value of the
farmers land, and finally forcing him
to move for social demonstrating
the negroes to gobble up the farm for
half its real worth.
This is not fancy picture but a
literal report Of what is actually hap
pening all over the cotton belt. AL
most every section Of the south feels
the blighting effect of such condi-
tions Worthy settlers refuse to
come. and farmers already in a COM
munity hesitate to build worthy coun-
try homes. because they have no as
surance that they or their children
will not be forced to leave the place
In order to find plenty Of white neigh
bors.
A Simple Law Advocated.
II we are to save the rural south to
the white race, we must find some
remedy. and l have ,ecome convinced
that an aroused public sentiment is
not enough. We must have q statute
which will enable any white commu-
nifty that wishes to do so to take
steps to insure it's remaining white
n statute framed not in spirit of
injustice and persecution to the ne
gro. but In spirit of justice and pro-
lection to the white man.
Briefly. ! propose a simple law
which will say that wherever the
greater part of the land acreage in
any given district that may be laid
OF the voters in such a district may
say (if they wish) that in future no
land shall be sold to a person of q
different race. Provided such ac-
ton is approved or allowed Gas being
justified by consideration Of the
peace protection, and social life of
the community by a reviewing
Judge or board Of county commits
sioners.
1t may be argued, I know, that such
a law is unjust because with the
government Of the south as it is, 1t
could be utilized by white people to
keep their conn unities white, but
the negroes would rarely or never
be able to use it to make q commun-
ity wholly negro. All Of which 1 ad-
NIT and yet 1 believe it is just.
Not Unjust to the Negro.
I believe it is just because the
white man needs the social protec-
ton of such a law and the negro
doesn't. If majority Of his neigh
bors are white. the negro doesn t
care. His land is made more valua-
BILE by the predOminance of neighbors
of different race; the chances of
selling it for it's worth are better;
his family are not uneasy or unsafe
they don't mind running off day or
night to see neighbors or kinfolK