The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-04-19
Judgment for the South.
Fom the Savannah Press.


Alas for the SNUG elf-righteousness of
some of our Northern neighbOrs! A voice
crying in the wilderness of Yonkers sets
forth some strange interpretations of divine
purposes and revenges.
The fearful fire which has swept away so
many homes and destroyed so much of the
city of Augusta is easily understood by Mr..
John E. Bruce, the prophet of Yonkers, who
declares that he has for the past six years
or so given especial attention to the pun
ishments which wise and kind Providence
visits upon 'the South" Whenever lynch
ings of negroes occur floods and fires follow.
That definite and concentrated spot on the
worlds surface called "the South" he finds
to be invariably punished by Providence
whenever its behavior hurts the conscience
of the North Hear this:
The recent lynching of five negroes
in Georgia was followed by an $1,000
600 fire, making homeless 5000 fami-
lies. In Tennessee a $1,50O,000 fire
and the destruction of 500 homes In
Texas an $8,000,000 fire, making 5000
homeless. Total cash loss $14, 800 900,
and 5000 homeless. Now watch the
result of the next big lynching in the
South. Your files for ten years back
will show that for the life of every ne
gro taken by a mob in the South the
lives Of scores of white men have paid
the penalty in one way or another. Look
it up Explain it if you can, and tell
us its significance.
These are indeed mysteries too intricate
and peculiar for the mind of mere man to
explain. We doubt if the prophet of Yonk-
ers would be satisfied with anything anyone
could tell him, since those who read the
mind of the Almighty with such ease find
it difficult to follow the simple processes of
human reason. Without pausing to con
slider the geographical error of furnishing
one community for the crimes of another
altogether separate and removed from it we
comfort ourselves with the soothing relec-
ton that good God, who through the cent
uries has been patient and long suffer-
ing under the SANDERS and misrepresenta-
tiOns which those who call themselves His
followers have so frequently and so bias
phemously heaped upon Him, would scarcely
be likely to act with such impulsive inaccu
racy in His dealings with small groups of
depraved and savage persons.
Perhaps this prophet of the North might
explain to us the significance of the crowds
of homeless and poverty stricken negroes,
for whom the kindly and generous white
people of Augusta are doing their utmost
to provide since the fire. More likely he
might not; but we trust that we may be
pardOned for wondering why it is that some
one in the North always rushes forward
with some idiotic censUre of the South when
ever any part or portion of this extensive
section chances to be before the public eye
1t is rather strange that a great daily,
which circulates over the whole country,
should publish such a communication, while
the rest of the world, or, at least, that part
of it which is near enough to know, is filled
with amazed admiration at the noble and
courageous spirit the people of Augusta are
showing, as well as with sympathy for their
losses and suffering. The South may have
many hardships to stand, but the fool COM
ments which are published in the Northern
papers from time to time are not the least
of her trials.