Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-01-29
SQUARE DEAL FOR NEGROES
(Republished by Request.)


 Virtually a challengt 70 those agi- tators of the North wno seek to arouse racial antagonism by chargec of unfair treatment of the negroes in the South and a guarantee to the colored people of Jefferson county of a determination by the leading white citizens to see that the colored man receives "square deal" is thc page advertisement of the Chamber of Commerce is this issue of The Graphic.
 The chamber has taken cognizance of the activities in other counties O. the South of cheap politicians, nev. er-works and swindlcrs who seek to prey upon the credulity of the ne- gro by misrepresentation and false tales. Having taken note of these attempts to provoke discord, the Chamber of Commerce has adopted the very best plan to assure a con tinuance of those relations which haxe existed between the good white people and the good colored people of this section.
 The success of agitators with both white and colored has been due al- most entirely to the fact that their statements and charges went unre- futed. Seemingly clothed with some authority, and accepted by their dupes as truthful men, they have aroused resentment by statement' not founded on fact. In several cases where employers have follow. ed work of these agitators by pres cnt bona fide facts and figures tc the employees, the men have readily perceived the truth and strikes and been avoided. The average man is fair-minded, though he may not bS familiar with costs of operation anc those things entering into calcula' ton of what is fair return for hi. service. Once convinced, he is dis posed to do right-not only for tht sake of himself, but for his family and feilow-workers. Because all suf fer from strikes and disturbances. { By appointing committee of mer l whose reputation for courage anS square dealing is we'll known, ant | inviting any colored man with jus cause for gievance to present hi case to this committee or any indi vidual member, the chamber, actin, for the best citizens of the country furnishes convincing evidence of th' desire of the people here to asur' the colored man fair treatment il every way.
 The committee cannot be expected to listen to tales of petty quarrels- perhaps precipitated by the com plainant himself f-but any colore, man who feels aggrieved may go t l the committee or member and b 3 dSSuTSu uA lSSSiNiHS SVhsiuSioeiSii 1 And it will be better for him to d, I this, than to listen to the tales ant s advice of some itinerant whose onl. } aim is to serve his own interests { and who will not give the colorc, man the attention he will reeeiv ! from the Chamber of Commerce com Z mittee. The colored man can so t this committee with confidence, H doesn't have to hire a lawyer to ge justice. If his cause is just, thi committee will not only decide in hi
 favor but will see that the error 0 injustice is rectified.
 So far as known no injustice ha
 been done colored people here, bu ! there may be some isolated cases oc T curing. And it is to reach and han
 dIe any such that the Chamber o ! Commerce has acted. Its course l
 guarantee that the best whit 5 people of Jefferson county stan ready to insist upon fair treatmen for the negro.
 It is the best evidence in tn
 world that charges of peonage, dc 2 ceitful dealing and harsh method:
 insofar as they apply to Jefferso