The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1919-12-27
Facts of The Arkansas
Massacre
Continued from page 5.

Instead of an itemized statement of
the supplies received, in most cases
only statement of the total is given.
Since there is an unwritten law which
is rigidly observed that no Negro can
leave a plantation until his debt is
paid, the owner, by padding the ac-
counts of the Negroes to the point
where the "balance due" always ex-
ceeds the value of the crop, can as
sure his labor supply for the follow
ing year.
OF this system, w. T. B. Williams
says in a report of the United States
Department of Labor on NEGRO Mi
grafton in 1867" published in 1919
MANY of the Negro tenants feel
that it makes little difference what
part of the crop is promised them.
the white man gets it all anyway"
Of the plan of many owners of taking
all of the cotton seed, The Charlotte
Observer says: "If, as it is repre-
scented, it is the custom of the farmers
not to divide the cotton seed with the
Negro tenant, then hitherto undis-
cussed cause of grievance is brought
to light and reveals an injustice to
the Negro that no landowner can de-
fend." An average bale of cotton
weighs five hundred pounds, the price
at this writing being about forty
three cents per pound. For every
which brings between $6S and $40
bale there is about on-half-ton of seed
per ton.
A white Southerner writing in The
Memphis Commercial Appeal of Jan.
26, 1919, frankly state:
"ln certain parts of the South men
who consider themselves men of hon.
or and would exact bloody expia-
ton of one who should characterize
them as common cheats do not hest
tate to boast that they rob the Ne
groes by purchasing their cotton at
prices that are larcenous, by selling
goods to them at extortionate figures
and even by padding their accounts
with a view of keeping them always
in debt. Men of this stripe have been
known to lament that in the last
two years the Negroes have been so
prosperous that it has not been pos
sible to fitch from them all they
make.
"A protest from a Negro against
tactics of this kind is met with a
threat of force. Justice at the hands
of white jury in sections where this
practice obtains in inconceivable.
Even an attempt to carry the matter
into courts is usually provocative of
violence.
"While the conditions described are
not universal, they are typical, espe-
cially in the delta regions where large
plantations prevail. If they are to
be remedied, we of the South must
clear our minds of cant and realize
that they do exist"
So much for the general system.
A few instances of how the system
works in Arkansas taken from actual
court records and from conversation
with share-eroppers, owners d agents
will give an idea of what Negroes
suffer and desire to end. Organiza-
ton was imperative, for there have
been numerous lynchings when Ne
groes have dared to protest as indi-
viduals against such practices.
One case that is especially clear
because of the contrast is that of two
share one of whom rented
from white landlord and the other
from colored one. Both made four
teen bales of cotton, and each was
entitled to seven bales as his share.
For convenience the first farmer will
be known as A; the second as B. In
AS family were seven members, two
of them infants. In BIS there were
five, all adults. AS landlord took all
his cotton seed and declared that he
had sold the cotton at fourteen cents
per pound although cotton in open
market was at that time selling at
twenty-eight cents. A received $490
and was presented with bill of sup
plies of 1858, leaving him in debt the
following year to the extent of 1868,
which was reduced to $34O when his
landlord with great magnamity al
lowwed" him 1923 as he sis good
niger and needs encouragement. "
B sold his cotton, and with the seed
received $1,214.50 for it, to which he
was added $187.50 for $50 bushels
of corn which he had raised in add
ton to the cotton. BIS bill for sup
plies for the year was SITS, although
he received more supplies and of a
better quality than A. He thus
cleared $1,227, while A came out
S34O in debt. AS landlord went to
BIS and told him that he had to
cbanoe his methods cor we won't be