The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-25
PLEADS ID SAVE
 NEGROES OF CITY
 FROM FEE GRADBER
Negro Editor Says Over One Hundred Were Ar
 rested at Circus - Grounds

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 I am anxious to call to your atten- tion a condition that is creating quite an unrest among my people within the Birmingham district. I have lived III Birmingham for number of years. I was born and reared in Alabama and received my education in the Alabama schools. I am thoroughly acquainted with southern conditions, the southern spirit and the poblems confronting the races here. am a tax payer in Birmingham. I have spent all of my manhood life in Jefferson county, and have made myself active in all the >af- fairs for the advancement of my city my state and my country. This, be- lieve, is my duty, and I will continue this practice.
 The thing to which I refer. with respect to my people, is the exploita- tion of the poor colored people of Bir- mingham by the fee system in the hands of the constables of the city of Birmingham. This is the only remain ing fee office in the city, and It is working a hardship on the ignorant poor more, perhaps than can be@c 3n-' ceived of by slight investigation.
 Colored people are arrested day after day, their homes searched, they being subjected to inconveniences and indignities on frivolous charges, large ly because of the fee system. On yes- terday over 100 negroes who were selling sandwiches to the large crowd at the circus were arrested and in one court were made to pay fines and fee
 pills These co1ored people are scat-
 tered in every section of Birmingham;
 they are humble people, they are poor
 ly educated( 90 per cent of whom are
 very ignorant. It is impossible to
 have them understand why they should be arraigned before the courts and thus humiliated and disturbed
 when they attempted to make lew
 pennies from the passing crowd.s IT
 is to be understood that the colored
 people are anxious to uphold every
 law and to obey every order coming from our city, state and national gov
 ernments, but it is hard to explain to an humble people the purpose of such a practice when it is only practiced
 on particular race and a distinctive
 element of that race The statutes, as we understand them, or the laws. as we understand them. are only guides to see that justice be done under tha law, and not instruments planned for the making of money out of a defense less apeoplc-
 The question would arise, Mr. Edi- tor during these times of distress and worry. bloodshed and suffering, what good could come from a prac- tice like this on a faithful and loyal people who are doing their best to conquer an enemy that is threatening 2 the life of all of us? This evil should be eradicated. 1t certainly has done our community and state no good. 1 The $500 or $400 gained from these l humble negroes in fees have hipdered 1 our progress and shaken the morale 1 of negro people in almost every sec- 1 ton of this city. These kinds of 1 things cause an unrest that makes 1 the colored man feel that he is not 1 being treated justly and renders it i difficult for the leaders among them l to get the results necessary in these 1 times when every bit of our energy should be put forward for the safety of mankind in the world, and more particularly, the men and women of our own country.
 1 It occurs to me that if the solicitor would require that all warrants for these frivolous charges be approved l by him before they are issued, tl:at many an unnecessary arrest would be avoided. I know the solicitor, and be- lieve that if his attention is called to 1 this matter and the result it is bring ] ing about he will not approve it, and