The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-04-09
PEONAGE.

Federal Investigations in Georgia the possible result of the
statement recently made by the u Attorney General racial
conditions there have evidences of which
not be equaed in atrocity by anything far chonced in
American criminal achievement
The findings of the Investigators far made public include
operation of large plantation Jasper county by Negroes
held in peonag maintenance of guard them with the aid
of member of their organized by which plantation
workers held in sevtude and the systematic Staying of all
who were feared as possible nfomers
The bodies of eleven thus slain have been found Six of
them were found chained together and weighed the Yellow
river INTO which they had been thrown the others found
with their skulls split with buried shallow graves dig
ged by them before being murdered,
More recent Investigations effort nstiga
ed by the friends of the accused of the plantation and his
ton against white people in order that sentiment might be made
for them. So far this effort has come to naught
That such conditions should maintain America the leader
of enlightened civilization almost unthnkabe Yet they exist
They equal the Armenian massacres in their ghtfuness
and even excel the German barbaties in their display OF depa
But probably the most outstanding feature in the whole of
these disclosures is the fact that this made
sible by the state of Georgia itself.
All of these had been bound this planter to
work out fines assessed against them the of the state of
Georgia From facts made public this appears that it
not occurrence for planters in need of labor to
visit chain and as and the remainder OF fines
against Negroes convicted of msdemeanos with the under
standing that they make payment to the planter in labor When
they the plantation they closely guarded and by
the keeping of acous accounts kept in debt which never oil
minishes.
Such exploitation nothing than peonage-and ns
tuition often alleged to exist in Southern States but
proven concusvey as to warrant decisive action by the
government
It does exist Thousands Negro testify that
it exists.
a reproach civilized peoples and affront to our
recognized economic scheme is rendered worthy
of condemnation when realizing that it exist only
through the legislative schemes Of the States in which flourish
hoped that the investigation now being conducted
the be inclusive of all of the states IN which
this system reported exist that those responsible for may
received the punishment which they richly deserve and that
be instituted which will guarantee its utter destruction
to be further hoped that that fast increasing body of
Southern genuinely DESTROYS of the OF the
South who in its defense claim that it's people the best
friends people, realize that long conditions such
brought light and is proven that they do exist
their protestaions cannot be taken seriously
1t would that genuine desire for Improvement would
demand the Investigators be helped possible
the of this condition for which state legislative schemes
responsible and because of which the South and all groups OF
its people America generally made to suffer.
conditions should demand the earnest consideration of
every Southern to the extent that those which it now
may improve their legislation systems and farming
out convcs private employers making peonage possible