Macon beacon., 1917-02-02
RepuSnGnt Color. Line 0utC Crop.
From the ViekburH Herald.

Jackson News from Hon. NJ. Ney vii.
llams, there is at least prima facie evi-
dence that the legislature did not go
far enough in abolishing the fee sys.
tem' and that the policy should be fin
\ ished at the next session of the legis.
lature. Arraigning the custom Of send
Ing young white boys and negroes"
TO the county farm to work out small
fines and big cost bills for petty Of
lenses. Mr.. Williams says:
! my attention was first called to
this at the train one evening in Ray
mond, when / saw deputy sheriff
alight from the train with three young
white boys handcuffed together, and
several negroes handcuffed, all march.
ing ahead of him. I went over to the
white boys and asked them what crime
they had committed and the amount
Of their fines. They all told me that
they were convicted of trespassing,
fined $500 and costs, and were CON-
mitted TO the county farm to work out
the fine and costs. I went to the jail
record and found that these poor
young fellows had q fee bill against
/, each, Of them for the sum sun Of $s.o5.
These boys receive twenty-six cents per
day. for their labor, and it takes them
about seven days to work out the fine,
while, it takes about thirty-fve days
to work out the fee bill. I made an
appointment with Governor Brewer to
meet him at his office the next day at |
1870 o'clock. circulated petition
for the pardon of these boys here in
Raymond, which was unanimously |
signed, and went to Jackson aud pre-
sented this petition to the governor,
and he pardoned all OF these boys.
Just a few days later, these same jus
tices OF, the peace sent two more OF
these young fellows to the farm and I
secured their pardons. Within a short
time several more were sent here and I
secured their pardons. At this time,
Governor Brewer told me that he had
made up his mind to pardon each and
every white boy or young white man
sent to the farm for the charge of
trespass, and that could state openly
to the constabies ana special agents,
ETC., that he meant what he SAID, and I
that he would not longer see young
white boys and men suffer the fate of
wearing stripes and locked in the
dungeon for such a petty offense. l
think this is a matter that should ap-
peal to every good man and woman in
blinds county, and every person that
believes in protecting the white youth
bf our country should interest himself
''r herself in this question and demand
a correction Of this evil. 1t is
p question that should appeal to the /.
overs of freedom and justice, and one ,
that humanity should take hand in .
Ind demand that little white boys and
Young white men be protected from
! he fate of the fee-grabbers and ten
Eier-handed officers who are preying
tpon the innocent and unsuspecting
youth of our country. This is a ques-
ion that should find it's way into the
lhurches, Sunday schools, and even to !,
he family altar around the freside.
These young fellows come from Meth r
Pdist. Episcopal. Baptist, Presbyterian, q
hristian and Catholic homes, and from :.
he home OF, every other denomination :,
r creed where God is worshipped as >,
bur Father, and His Son as the Saviour
K mankind. - One justice Of the
eace in jackson has sent forty-one :
these young white. boys and young !,
hite men to the county farm in the 6,
hst twelve months, all with fines .
bnging from $500 to $3.50, and cost : :
tt'ls ranging from $500 to $3.50, and r. r.
tiink this is too many souls for one \,
Ian TO send to hell in one year." :,
Here we are treated to an exhibit OF cc
be operations of the fee system that G
bndemns the legislature for dereIic-
ION in not including justices and con-
fables in the fee abatement law.
Ekiie repeal as to sheriffs and clerks
Ifected the reform Of costly and polit- Fl
| al and demoralizing custom, the fees o.
/ those officials were fixed and levied Il
kgally. They did not, like the JUS ST
ices, have the power Of underlined and ty
tmost limitless abuses-of extortions bs
Ind exactions in the discretion @. the la
Magistrates. M
But there is one circumstance dis w
Iosed by Mr.. Williams in the opera Ss
Eon Of the system that is even more N,
epuguant to the element of justice, in
humanity and religion, to which he sp
bpeals, than the abuse itself, that so SO
bspires his indignant zeal. The re-
friction of condemnation of the vices
Il 49, Goo cvcfou, %o fha uyropoc ~ | A.