The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1919-10-18
REPORT OF COMMITTEE SENT OUT
FROM CHICAGO TO INVESTIGATE
CONDITIONS OF THE NEGRO
RACE IN MISSISSIPPI

Owing to the fact that much labor Is
needed in certain sections OF MISSISSIPPI,
the Secretary of the Mississippi NeHart
League made II trip to Chicago to 1nvesu-
gate the report that there were n great
number of Southern negroes in tnat- city
who wanted to return South. After con.
ference with the Chicago Association OF
Commerce. the Federal Bureau of Labor,
and some of the heads of organized labor
it was the concensuS OF opinion OF snch or
ganizations that investigation should pe
made of conditions under which the negroes
in Mississippi live Before the endorsement
of such organizations could be had, or any
recommendat ti0ns be made to such OF the
negroes as might care to move back South,
1t WAS Thought expedieut TO investigate
the many runl5rs circulated in the newspa-
pers and otherwise concerning the bad con
ditinns under which the negro race live III
Mississippi and the oft-repeated allesa-
tions as to the unjust and cruel tfe;Itaieht
accorded them. The following committee
WAS selected and authorized to Investigate
these runors and allegations and report
on the truth or fallacy of such rumors rs
have been reported as to the conditions III
Mississippi:
John Malone.
George w. Downing,
Henry S. Coins,
Committee.
The committee reports as follows:
We, the committees appointed as stated
above for the purpose of making inyesti-
tion into conditions touching the welfare
and general conditions under which the ne
gro race lives and works in Mississippi
desire to state that we have investigated
thoroughly these conditions In several roun-
undersigned ave trlvelesi ! .assg,sh.r over
! ifii.y thorough observation. and the facts
herein set forth are just and fair In every
respect.
/ Railroad accommo odations
We left Memphis on the morning OF
Wednesday, August goth. We 1ound VA. ft.
of Spp
the whites and blacks was Ill effect, that
the coaches i'll which we rode were tne
same kind of coaches we had been 1urhish- !
ed with on leaving Chicago lhere Mas
! ample room for all passengers and the ac-
| commodations were the same as for the
white people. There were separate toiiets
! for men and women in all coaches Ill which
| the committee rode. The accohlloua.io,,i'' ., ,
we're adequate and uniform throughout the
| tourney, irrespective of locality. treatment
! accorded the negro passengers by raliroad
officials was courteous throughout
! were accompanied by the Secretary OF 'he
! NissisSinpi Welfare League, Soclalosicdi
/ organization in Mississippi which nas LOT LOT
| one of its many aims and objects the upiitt
of the negro race in mississippi:
! >. Conditions in Mississippi Delta Coun'
ties. >,.,.
tsinpi. i'm Coahoma County. Clarksdale il
a thriving little city In MISSISSIPPI pe,,A .,',
| section There WAS Il called meeting ol INV
[
we attended. There was present NJ I IhI
meeting many bankers, planters ana sever
al members of the colored race, some %
fwhom were land owners and employers
| Iabor After brief discussion OF the pur
nose of our visit we made automobile trips
! throuyh the county. for radius OF abou
twenty miles from the city, stopping an
talking with the workers and the planter
ia all parts of the county. We fouhd III
workers working the share system: re
tceivinp from one-half to two-thlrds OF IN
| crops they produced. This varies accord
iur to contracts. We found the aFerae
la,,re produced fom one-half to ne paie =
cotton. which netted from S20Oo0 10 s-oo.o
ner~ bale We found that worker nh'ln
no capital, teams or implements Oh ms o
TO produce Il crop was Thoroughly ei",I
ned by the land owner, the WORKER recel'
ing half the crop he produces IN such case'
Whe re the worker owns his own team an
i'm mnIe,1pents he secures two thirds Oh 'h
ron produced. We found that the aver
200 worker who cultivated what is know
ns y sone-mule crop was able, using ta a
rear ro1S as a criterian, to produce sun
ciant crop to net him, over ana above y
living expenses, a surplus OF from s'oo.'
| to O1!OUDO per year. This amount ".
nIus certain amount or corn, potd'oe
!molasses, etc. , ,.o,
We found colored men who began "oi
in This section under the tenant s!s,e
who now own their own plantations an
t.re themselves employers of labor anu a
worth from $4,000 to S115,ooo we ".
told by !. H. Murray, negro iaho o""'