The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-11-21
ARKANSAS RACE
RIOT DUE TO
PADDED BILLS
Not Insurrection But Attempt
to Bring Test Case Into Court.
Bv A. g. Gilbert

" OaNN6 AVoS ~<~%"~ AA~O
By A. 3. Gilbert
St. Paul, Minn.-Investiga-
ton of the Elaine (Ark.) race
riots by a correspondent of the
Chicago Daily News brings out
facts more noteworthy than the
severity of punishment melted
out to the allege negro revolu-
tionists.
Back of the outbreak is the
report that two white men OPP
ened fire on Il peaceable negro
meeting. Back of the meeting
is an attempt of some negroes
to organize and collect funds to
bring a lease-testing case into
the courts. Back of this desire
to bring a court case is the plan
tation store system found in
many parts of the South.
The negro rents the land he
works on the half-share basis,
and he has to buy his supplies
from the owner of the planta-
ton or from a store desi grated
by the owner. It is the store
system which enables the land
lord to exploit the tenant.
At the end of the crop year.
when the tennat is ready to sell
bill from the storekeeper who
has previously found out about
what the tenant will get for
his crops. The storekeeper has
to know this so as to know how
high to make the bill for sup
plies.
Elastic Bills
There are thousands of cases
easily found" says the Chicago
News correspondent, "where ne
groes took up during the year
goods valued at not over 5000,
made a crop of which their
share was $1,000 or more, and
when the time came for /, set
Element were told that their bill
for the years supplies was
i 81, 200, leaving them in debt the
next year to the extent of
5000"
The negro is prevented by an
unwritten law from leaving the
land of an owner so long us he is
in debt. The owner is thus as
sured of having his land worked
on these unfair terms as long as
he juggles the store accounts.
The system is widely used by
Arkansas plantation owners and
little effort is made to conceal
it. Rather it is justified rs be-
ing necessary to keep the Mig
gers from owning the country"
Wanted Test Case
In the district where the riot
ing broke out the negroes
formed a fraternal organization
known as the Progressive Farm
ers' and Household union of
America. Each male member
was to pay $1.50 and each fe-
male member SO cents. Incor-
poration papers were drawn W
by Williamson and Williamson,
white attorney of Winchester,
Ark. The announced purpose of
the organization was court ac-
ton to force proper settlements
from owners of the land, and
there appears to be no evidence
Of revolutionary purpose unless
such action through the courts
could be so regarded.
In the rioting which followed
the first shooting at the negro
church, 25 negroes and 5 whites
are said to have been killed.
News dispatches from Helena,
f.. Ark, indicate that already 4S
negroes have been convicted on
murder cha' ges, of whom II are
i sentenced t. death, and 1872
more negroes are to come up for
trial.
The plantation store system
is undoubtedly safe in that Sec
ton Of America for the time
being. Eut it's evil results go
on there and throughout the
South and in time must lead to
other serious disturbances.
There is no substitute for de-
mocracy and fair dealing be-
tween man and man. Race diff
ferences do not justify taking
from the worker the product of
his toll.
; Whites Under System Too
Unfortunately, too, the store
, landlords do not make distinc-
; tons between the negro and the
white tenant. A white skin
, does not protect the white ten
. ant from the sore gouGe any
more than the ncgro's black