The Denver star., 1916-02-12
GEORGIA NEGROES SUFFER.
Driven From Some Countiss-7Attempts
20 Repeat Action Defeated Elsavshsre.

Driven From Some Countiss-7Attempts
20 Repeat Action Defeated Elsewhere.
The National Association For the Ad
yancement of Colored People has been
much concerned over the recent burn
ing of buildings and other evidences
of violence in northern Georgia, and
it sent special investigator to that
region, who drove through four coun-
ties of the Piedmont section of the
state and has returned with a most
interesting report on conditions there.
The full details will appear later in
the Crisis, the official organ of the
association, but we are privileged to
give an advance notice Of the results.
Three years ago the poor whites of
two Georgia counties. Dawson and
Forsyth, both of them in the Cracker
region and not traversed by railroads,
expelled all the colOred people In those
counties. Negroes were given from
one to ten days to leave and lost most
Of their property. Not Negro has
been allowed to enter these counties
from that day to this. The more repu-
table people of the region regret this
very much now, as they have found
the absence of colored people has re-
suited not only in great Inconvenience.
but in serious financial loss. The as
sociation's investigator believes that
when railroads are built through these
counties and new people and capital
move in there will be Il change in the
attitude toward colored people, but
because of the remoteness and sparse
pOpula ton of the region an immediate
change can hardly be hoped for.
Recently in the adjoining county Of
Hall there have been attempts To cN
pei colored people, but the well 10 d"
of this county, realizing how much
Dawson and Forsyth suffered from
their mistaken policy. decided to take
a stand against the lawlcss elements
among the poor whites, and the at
tempt TO drive the Negro out of llaii
county was nipped III the bud. There
seems no likelihood of any further
harm to them here. Gainesville, Il
thrivin town, is the county seat OF
this county.
Cherokee county, which adjOins Daw'
son and Forsyth to the west, has just
been the scene of serious trouble. Near
Canton. the county seat, the large barns
of one Gus Corgins, Il wealthy white
horse and cattle dealer. who employs
large numbers Of colored people, were
burnt to the ground, with IL loss of so.
900, and other barns and buildings
owned by white employers of colored
people have also been destroyed The
matter is complicated by the stealing
OF horses and mules in some of these
barns, and 1t has been surInised that
some rltiians have taken advantage OF
the anti Negro agitation to steal and
rob.
| There is no doubt. however, that
| some nf the poor whites had decided tf
make Cherokee white" like Dawson
and Forsyth. and had begun Il cam
paign of violence and intimidation t.
| carry out their desire. The matter was
nipped in the bud here, too, by Guicl
action on the part OF the authoritie'
and the more reputable citizens of ih'
county The governor has issued !;
proclamation offering rewards for th'
discovery of the offenders. and there Il
no likelihood that the colOred people
Of the county will be further molestel
The serious economic results in Daw
son and Forsyth counties have fright
ened the well to do residents OF neigh
boring counties, and they do not intend
to allow similar state of affairs IL
harass their own neighborlloods. The
association is keeping careful watch o.
the situation. and It's investigator IL
ready to return to this region immedi
ately IL any further trouble should oc
Boston. rep. El.