The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-12-13
.,YEONANS SPOKE TO
COLORED CONFERENCE
TOLD THEM THE RACE PROBLEM
MUST BE SETTLED BY BEST
OF BOTH RACES.

One of the features of the colored
conference of the Methodist Church,
South, during its annual session just
closed at Dawson, was an address by
Hon. M. j. Yeomans, member of the
legislature and prominent in state
: affairs, delivered before the confer
ence in response to an invitation.
That the race problem should be
settled in the South by the co-opera-
ton of the best white people and the
best negroes was the prime thought
and suggestion of the address.
Must Suppress Lawlessness.
Our present trouble" said the
speaker, is attributable to the lawless
element of both races. The bad me-
gro on the one side and the bad white
imam on the other, neither of whom
has any regard for law or order or
organized society, have brought
about a condition in this country
which is deplorable. The bad negro
has committed crimes, and the bad
white man has committed crimes as
bad or worse by engaging in whole
sale lynchings, mob violence and
murder. The best element of each
race must assert themselves. The
present condition cannot exist. If
our country is to prosper, if property
and life are to be safe, the best ele-
ments of both races must work in
harmony and together to see that
crime is not committed, that lawless-
ness in all forms, including lynch
ing and mob violence, is completely
suppressed.
Not Confined to Negroes.
The lynching evil, however, has
not been confined wholly to the ne
gro. We have seen white men taken
from officers of the law and lynched.
There never was lynching in this
or any other state, no matter what
the crime was, that was ever justi-
fed, and no set of men who engage
in lynching will ever afterwards be
the citizens they were before.
eff our country is to exist anarchy
and lawlessness must be stopped
In my judgment the pendulum has
swung so far until it will have to
swing backward. The good people of
this state are being aroused, and 1
believe a better and brighter day is
dawning for both races.
"The wholesale exodus of the ne
gro is to be deplored. 1t is not best
in,
not best for US. He is not fitted to
withstand the rigors of a cold eli
mate. In this section he has his
schools, his churches, his colleges; he
has prospered and is among friends.
This is his natural home, and a seri-
Gus mistake is being made by the
wholesale exodus which is now going
on. He will come back wiser but
sadder man, provided he does not
come back in his coffin"
Bishop Williams Talks.
Bishop Williams followed Mr.. Yeo-
mans in a short and interesting
speech. He urged in behalf of the
conference and the negroes of GeOr-
gia, especially of the C. NJ, E. church,
that the exodus to the North stop.
'If the good white people will assure
the colored people that lynching will
be broken up the best colored people
stand ready to urge that the exodus
stop" he said. "The great crime of
lynching has more to do with the
exodus than all of the high wages of
the North. The colored people are
completely demoralized in many sec
tions of the country because of this
wicked practice. We urge that the
white ministers use their pulpits for
the spreading of that better senti-
ment for, law and order, and we no
less urge that the colored preachers
use their pulpits for the general up
lift of people who stand in need of
help along the lines of wholesome
living"