The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-31

with the public. prejudice will follow.
Mr.. Grace's letter put the public on no.
tice, and it will vote accordingly.
The present laws need be enforced more
equitably. They are now principally en-
forced in favor of the corporations, es-
pecially the mining corporations, and its
attaches, and against the interest of the
public More laws are needed to govern
the reckless driving of automobiles and
motorcycles on public roads (pikes). Now
the pixies are used by many automobile
and motorcycle drivers as race tracks, and
the law abiding citizens have no protec-
| tion whatever These automobiles and
| motorcycles kill and cripple more stock
| than the railway trains. and most of the
| time it is a clear loss to the owner of
stock, because he does not know who did
| 1t, and if he sees it done the automobile
| is gone before he can get the number on
| the car. These automobiles are a great
damage to the country through which
| they drive. Laws to govern, providing
severe punishment and to be enforced
| equtably. are necessary to protect the
public. 1t is not safe for children or
people to travel on the public highway
| lf pike.
Reckless discharge of firearms at night
| Is permitted on the public highway, loud
cursing and abusive language is prae-
| tioed near the mining camps. other dis
| graceful lawlessness is permitted in sight
of public places at and near the mining
camps, such blind tigers, etc. These.
things are done principally by the min
ing companys attaches without interfer
ence, but should a farmer call to his
house for some one to bring him a drink
of water into the field where he is at
work likely he would be charged with
disturbing the peace OF if he plows
| and does not hang around poolroom or
| dance to the music of the mining com
! pany he is charged with vagrancy, as was
Watson by the negro Holland near Lewis
burg 1t is an undisputed fact that the
| burly headed negro Holland took out
| warrant for Watson (yhite) charging him
with vagrancy when Watson was actual
| w at work The burr-headed negro was
tool of the mining company, and Wat
son, the Jones boys. and the Elards
were not. The idea of a burr-headed ne
gro swearing out warrant charging
white man with vagrancy is enough to
| make the blood boil in any southern white
man. and since the local law officers were
owned as usual by the mining company.
Watson, the Jones boys and Ellards did
not get any protection, and were uriven
to desperation and forced to act them
selves Another example is the shoot
| ing down like dogs of the Lynn boys near
Littleton by deputies. The Lynn boys
were charged with trespassing on the min
| ing companys lands tthey walked across
| iO the deputies arrested them and then
| shot them down. For an excuse they
| say the Lynn boys were desperate fell
! lows, etc. Now | was at litsleton for
! quite a time, and know something about
! the Lynn boys. They did not bother
anyone and stayed within reason as long
as they were not attacked by so-called
officers owned or controlled by the min
| ing company for something they did chat
| so speaking, everybody cid), but then
! everybody were attaches of the mining
| company and were not interfered with
| but the Lynn boys were continually ar
rested. This, of course was not approved
| bv the I.ynns, and when the mine COM
pany owned officers shot at them they
| returned the fire. The Lynrs owned a
! small place near the mines, and the net
idea of the mining company was TO Teat
the Lynns so that they would leave their
little home and the mining company then
hoped to get possession of the property
| or use it as IL their own. The origin or
| the trouble at Lewisburg runs about the
same way To say the least, the recent
execution of Watson and Jones for the
killing of a burr-hea1 against whom they
| had no protection is an outrage upon the
white people of Jefferson county. These
fellows did not get a fair trial. At the
| time they were tried the people of JEFF
! ferson county We're 50 prejudiced by being
misled by the fiery and exaggerated
statements made In he daily papers until
1t was Impossible to give them fair
trial and had they not been victims Of
a mining corporation they would likely
have gore free. That they did not get
a fair trial was. clearly shown by the
petitions signed by some l2oo0 people,
IineIuding the II jurors, and the COVER
nor's acts by not interfering after being
! reotiested to do SO by probably more than
1000 people shows his color Mr. Grace
| v.onld do better if he would have laws
passed that will allay prejudice. Yours,
ED WETZEi.
Mulsa. March %, 1913.