The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-05-24
GOV. DORSEY AGAIN
DEFENDS HIS BOOKLET
SAYS CHARGES WE'RE BASED
ON SIGNED LETTERS OR
REPORTS TO HIM.
DOES NOT GIVE THEIR NAMES

Criticism of Atlanta's "Inter-Racial
Committee"
ATLANTA, Cain lengthy
statement Governor Dorsey has replied
to Judge w. E. H. Searcy, of the Flint
judicial circuit; and Samuel L. Olive,
president of the Georgia senate, who
criticised his publication of the book
let, The Negro in Georgia"
Governor Dorsey says that at the
time the booklet was published he
withheld the names of counties and
individuals because he knew the bet
ter element of people in each COM
munitv disapproved and condemned
the conditions.
Governors Position.
Il have withheld the names of
counties and individuals because | do,
not desire to give harmful publicity
to those counties, when | am convlnc-
ed that, even in the counties where
these outrages are said to have occurr-
ed. the better element in these coun-
ties and the whole state, who constr
tute the majority of our people, will
condemn such conditions and take the
steps necessary to correct them, when
thew see and realize the staggering
sum total of such cases, which, while
seemingly confined to small minorl-
ty of our counties, yet bring disgrace
and oblouuy upon the state as a whole
and upon the entire southern people,
the governor said in his statement.
He declared that every case deslg-
mated by him was based on signed
letters or reports to sustain the
charges. 1t is much better for the peo-
pie to face the array of evidence and
strive to better the situation than to
criticise when it's shown the charges
are true, he said. The governor again
failed to make public the names OF his
informants.
The governor is getting flood OF
clippings of newspaper editorials and
other comment on his pamphlet. Most
of the comment in Georgia is adverse
to the governor, while papers out OF
the state praise him.
Legislature May Take a Hand.
In respect to the possible further
official development there is renew
ed declaration from other members OF
both the senate and house, incoming,
that the resolution which Senator l..
c. Brown, of Athens, already has said
| it is his purpose to introduce, asking
for a Joint committee to look into all
the charges of peonage and collateral
matter, will have abundant support
and should be passed as a very first
piece of business after the two branch
es have organized. That resolution
contemplates, as Senator Brown has
described it, that joint committee OF
the legislature shall ask for all the
data in possession of state and federal
authorities, ascertain the reason tor
the manner of publication and circu-
lation of the criticism pamphlet, and
to determine whether or not there has
been laxity in the enforcement OF the
law, whether or not there IS tounda-
ton for the charges of peonage; to
establish the truth or fals1ty OF all the
reports made through official channels.
and to finally place whatever respon-.
sibility there is therefor wherever 1T
belongs.
Resolutions and bills bearing on the
subject may also be expected from
other members.
Dorsey Unduly Persuaded.
L ne CTlIlClSI1S HdNC liOt DCCii HuAlSu
solely at the governor since circula-
ton of the pamphlet in question, but
have included members of what is
known as the Atlanta Inter Racial
Committee" the more conspicuous
members of which are DR.. c. D. VIII
mer, Dr. Ashby Jones, John J. Eagan
and Marion M Jackson. In fact, it
was this committee acting through
Marion Jackson, which had printed
and caused to be circulated the pam
phlet in question and friends of Gov.
Dorsey are now taking the position
that he was over-persuaded by mem
bers of the committee to permit the
use of material from his files in the
executive offices, which are known to
be heavily filled with complaints from
all parts of the state of treatment OF
negroes, for the preparation of the
pamphlet which went out under his
name and was released as "a state
ment from Gov Hugh M. Dorsey" 1t
is known, too, that the copy for the
pamphlet was prepared by Marion
Jackson.