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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN.
RATT’RDAY, SKI’TKMnER 1, 1909.
TF
IE NEfiRO PR0E
MU AND 0TI
IER SUB
JECTS DISCUSSED BY G
E0RGIAN READERS
THE “REIGN OF TERROR” MUST END
To the Editor of The Georgian:
Having read your editorials, and the numerous com
munications from fcorreapondents as to the best way to
stop the "Reign of Terror" which seems to be upon us,
wtlh your kind permission I will make one or two re
marks upon the situation, through the columns of The
Georgian. So far as my perception gqes, there seems
three propositions to be offered as a solution—yourh edi
torially to call upon all negro preachers, teachers and
leaders to use moral suasion upon their followers to
desist from their evil wayB under pain of dire results;
the second to arm our women and teach them how to
shoot and defend themselves; the third to reorganise the
Ku-Klux Klnn, and by the reputed mysterious manifesta
tions peculiar to that organization, to scare the negorea
Into good behavior. Now as to the first proposition, It
will be a waste of breath, as the negro Is so constituted
that he will pay very little attention to sermonising or
threats from that source; the second proposition Is a vio
lation of what Is preached on all sides—law. The third
proposition, under proper control and direction will meet
every condition, and will In short order rid the country
of worthless whites and blacks alike—for there are some
so-called whites, which deserve and ought to have a rope
collar along with the blacks. But then the Ku-Klux are
outlawed and should It reorganize and grow as useful
now as In formor days, what a howl would go up from
Judges, lawyers, preacherB, educators and namby-pamby
sentimentalists all over the country, at the lawlessness
of the Ku-Klux. Having given this subject much thought
m years past, with your permission I will make a sugges
tion, which It occurs to me will meet every phase of tho
case. First, If possible, have the legislature enact Into a
requirement that every Jailer and sheriff of a coun
ty shall maintain at the county's expense a pack of track
dogs, and upon call shall send them anywhere In the
county where needed; abolish the law ngainst rape and
leave It optional with the relatives, friends and neigh
bors of the victim to punish him as much and as fully
as they desire; then let each settlement enter a compact
that upon an agreed Blgnal, by bell, horn or messenger,
they-will go to the point designated fully equipped for
eventualities, and once on the track to never leavo It,
till the perpetrator Is safely In hand and ready to be
dealt with. To my mind, this crime Is one with which
courts and laws have no business td deal. A strong
brute overcomes and outrages a weak woman; now I
submit It Is not right to force this womnn to go beforo
a court and Jury and be compelled to recite In detail
tho particulars of the outrage, and yet her evldenco Is
necessary to convict. There Is not any doubt that In
stances are not rare when women, rather than submit
to this ordeal, have suffered and said nothing rather
than face tho machinery which the law has put In mo
tion to protect her assailant It Is In ovldence thnt deci
sive measures of some sort are clamoring for application,
for with our military under orders to protect these brutes
when caught, It does look to an old Ku-Klux that tho old
way Is the best—a rope and the nearest limb.
EDWARD ANDERSON.
j THE CAUSE MUST BE REMOVED j
To the Editor of The Georgian:
1 have read with great Interest the editorials and sug
gestions from different writers as how to prevent the
many assaults being made upon .our white women and
girls by the black devils, and 1 have wondered what has
become of the boasted chivalry and manhood of our
Southern men.
If some of the brave men who gave up their lives
In the dark days of the sixties could arise from their
honored graves and read some of the methods suggested
they would want to hurry back to their graves and bide
from such abject cowardice.
Some of those brave writers even go so far as to sug
gest that our women and girls take the matter in their
own hands and protect themselves. They say let our
women and girls arm themselves nnd shoot the devils
who assault them! They do not have the manhood to
even suggest that tho women and girls be provided with
arms, but "let them arm themselves." Ib It any wonder
that the negroes feel they are comparatively safo In mak
ing these assaults when the white men want to fpree
the women to proteot themselves—eVen among the most
savage nations on earth nnd the beasts of the fields will
protect their females, and If It Is necessary willingly die
/to do It.
In my Judgment there Is very little excuse for allow
ing one of the devils to escape; nnd when they are caught
every man in the posse should be provided with plenty
of matches nnd good sharp knives and In fifteen .min
utes after one of them 1b caught he should be In hell,’
where he came from.
I give all honor to the brave men In South Car
olina who dared to take the law In their own hands, rlgjt
in the face of the governor, and hang the brute. I say
In every case where the party Is fully Identified even If
the president were present, never under any circum
stances let him be tnken from your hands to spend
months in Jail; cost the people large sums of money
and then let the prison commission and governor turn
him loose to repeat his crime.
While you have him punish him. It lynching Is ever
to be stopped In the South the cause for It must first
be stopped and the law so amended that In cases of plain
proof of guilt criminals must bo punished without the
long delay caused by unprincipled lawyers and biased
courts. J. I. WAITE.
Waycross, Ga., Aug. 29, 1906.
A STAND FOR WOMANHOOD
i •••••••••••••••i
To th< Editor of The Georgian:
I wish to thank you for the courageous stand you are
making for the defense of our noble Southern woman
hood.
This question Is, I lelleve, the most vital with which
the South Is confronted today, and I am glad that there
Is one great Southern editor, at least, who Is honest
enough and fearless enough to voice, In tones of thunder,
the true sentiment of every true Southern man, regard
less of what the editors and the preachers of other sec
tions might think or say.
And I am doubly glad that you valued an editorial
comment upon this awful condition and Its proper remedy
above the personal criticism of a candidate for govern
or—so much so. Indeed, that you gave It preference upon
your editorial page, even when the recent election was at
fever heat. I am sure there are thousands of your read
ers who appreciate this fact quite as much ns I.
You have sot our editors a most worthy example—an
example that I hope every editor, great or small, through
out the whole South, will follow.
I thank you again for the gallant fight you are mak
ing for the protection of our Southern women, and I
pledge you my humble, but most loyal support.
FRANK H. STOVALL.
Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 27, 1908.
• MIMIHHI
>•••••••••••••••••I
Enforce the Vagrancy Laws.
IHMIHIMIMMII
.Rev, H. H. Proctor’s Strong Views. j
To the Editor of The Georgian:
None can regret more deeply the attacks on women
that have been made In the vicinity of this city recently
than the better element of the coiorcd people. Indeed,
they feel It more keenly than any other class of citizens.
They feel deeply mortified and humiliated.
Of course, I need hardly say that thd body of the
colored people have no sympathy with those vagabonds
who commit these awful deeds. It will be observed that in
no case are these wretches among tho educated, property,
holding or churcn-golng clement of the coiorcd race* In
very caso It is a worthless, Irresponsible vagabond be
yond the reach of the forces that make for righteous
ness among the race. I was spiritual attendant to the
last rapist executed In this county. He was densely
ignorant (not being able to spell the word God), financial
ly destitute, morally obtuse, spiritually blank. This is the
type of the men who attack women.
For reasons for which they are no responsible tfce
freedmen have among them a surplus of weaker ele
ments. From this class come thlse rascals who outrage
women and bring contempt on the whole race. With
the exception of those renegades, the young negroes of
today Inherit respect for womanhood from tholr fathers,
In whose hands tho women of the South were safe in the
trying days of the sixties.
It Is to the clear Interest of the colored race as well
as the white that this element be weeded out. The preach
ers, teachers and workers of the race are working stren
uously toward this end. In the church I serve we are
making strenuous effort through missions in slum,
suburb and prison to reach this very man. Of course,
such moral effort is necessarily slow In Its effect. This
moral suasion must be reinforced by the strong arm of
the law.
We are glad the forces of the law are being strength
ened, and we trust evory dospoller of womanhood will be
apprehended and dealt with to the limit of the law. The
streets should be cleared of all Idlers, and every loafer
set to work. These dens of vice and Iniquity that cluster
about saloons should be broken up; they are but hotbeds
where thieves, cut-throats and rapists are hatched out.
The law should be more radically enforced against these
gambling dives whence as many as 60 young men are
pulled at one time. The breaking up of the dance halls
some time ago was but the beginning of what ought to
be done to purify the life of the lower element of the
colored people In this city. Those iu authority owe this
to the weaker element of this heavily burdened people.
I am acquainted with the leading colored men In this
city, and I know bow this matter lies on their hearts.
They are working with might and main, many of them
night and day. some with remarkable self-denial, to up
lift their people. Their contribution to the moral order
of this dty Is Incalculable. In a time like this they feel
the humiliation more keenly than any one else possibly
could, for In a sense they are suffering vicariously for
their people.. Lifting as they climb, they
have burdens to bear others know not of. In an hour
like tbfs they will be greatly strengthened and made
more efficient In their Important task by the confidence
and encouragement of their white fellow citizens. Is hot
this a time for all good men. white and black, to stand
together? What have we to gain by suspicion and es-
trangement? Are not our interests Identical?
H. H. PROCTOR.
Atlanta, August 27. 19M.
_ . BOTH WAY8 GOOD,
To the Editor of The Georgian:
He waited at the trystlng gate
And waited long. Oh! how he mist her,
But when she came, tho rather late.
He kissed her twice, then thrice be klst her.
It’s nice both ways’ In Jorja.
. —FONETIC.
To the Editor of The Georgian:
How long shall our Southern white women be ex
posed to the outrages of negro brutes? Three assaults In
Georgia within the last week Is surely enough to arouse
every white man In (he state who has a drop of Southern
blood in his veins. A dark shadow falls athwart the door
of every white home In the rural districts of the South
ern states.
There Is much discussion in the newspapers as to.
the mode of punishment for this diabolical crime. Tho
odor of burning flesh, tho tortures of the damned, the
groans and cries produced by the most hellish machine
that human Ingenuity can devise will not lessen the
pain of the suffering white victim. What we want Is
preventive measures.
Wo have on our statute books a law which I believe.
If rigidly enforced, will prove the most effective preven
tive that can be put Into operation. I refer to the Cal
vin vagrancy law. We never hear of a negro leaving
his plow handles or hoe to commit this crime. It Is
invariably the Idle, loafing, prowling negro who has no
regular Job, no permanent place or abode and who Is
satisfied If he has enough clothes to save him from
public Indecency and one square meal a day. This Is tho
Idle brain In which the desire Is Incarnate. Every city
and town In tho state has a lot of Idle, loafing negroes
who cannot be hired to do a good day’s work at any
price and It Is from this class that the rapist comes.
Put them at work. Let every militia district have spe
cial officers to enforce this low. It will be expensive, It
Is true, but Is this a time to consider expense?
Let every able-bodied negro In the state be put to
work, kept constantly at it and paid reasonable wages
for his work. It will help to solve the race problem, the
labor problem, and tbe problem of saving our women.
AUTIE COX
Lnganvllle, Ga., Aug- 30, 1906.
• ••• ••••••••••••*•••*• at
The “Black Peril."
To the Editor of The Georgian:
I wish to Join the women of the South In praising
you, the- only man who for the sake of the fair name of
woman would be bold enough to utter his convictions
with regard to the "Black Peril," which has been the ter
ror to women for many years!
Has it come to pass thnt the sons of the gallant,
old-time Southern gentleman shall say "Let the women
carry guns and protect themselves!" For shame!
Your fathers nnd your grandfathers would have set
tled this question long ere this, without calling on their
women to "carry guns." When tho negro was In bond
age an assault upon woman was nnbeard of. Why? Be
cause the negro was taught to know his place, and kept
It! Why, then. Is It that at this late day he docs not still
keep that place? Because the Southern man has careless
ly thrown around the negro too many rights and too
many privileges In order to keep his labor.
Again, has It come to pass that tbe sons of this grand
old Southland shall let their love of money and commer
cialism override their care and thought of womanhood?
The negro Is born to love excitement, and publicity.
He only gloats In the articles In the newspapers about
tho lynchlngs of his fellow, and his Inward nature Is spur
red to "go and do likewise and become a hero.”
If the men of tho South and the law of the land can
not protect the fair name of their women, then Id tbe
name of Ood, let us, who are women, arm ourselves for
protection! “ATHENA."
Gainesville, Ga., Aug. 28, 1906.
A Heart-to-Heart Talk
With Our White Neighbors j
FROM THE WIREGRAS3.
To the Editor of The Georgian:
Your editorial suggestions on "The Way to Save Our
Women” are timely and meet with our heartiest’appro
val.
Mr. W. L. Williamson struck the keynote when he
said It was not simply a matter of satisfying lust. In
our opinion It Is a longing to be the equal of the white
man that prompts him to do this beastly act.
Let every true blooded Anglo-Saxon who Is proud of
his race, stand shoulder to shoulder In this movement to
exterminate this evil.
We think a wise suggestion would be for every large
farmer or mill man who Is in touch with a large number
of them to show them the pending danger they are In.
Be assured of one thing, we of Wlregrass Georgia
will not be found wanting in any movement or plan you
may direct. 0. A- THOMPSON.
Swalnsboro, Ga., Aug. 30, 1900.
To the Editor of The Georgian.
It la no time tor Inflammatory and
Incendiary denunciations of one an
other, The situation Is acute, and the
tension between the races is strained
to the breaking point. The least racial
friction at this time will precipitate
conditions In which the negro, In the
Inevitable, must lose out. It Is time to
reason together, to bring Into action
the calm, sober and dispassionate
judgment of every lover of law and
order. Something must be done tp re
lieve the tension. No community can
long stand for the reign of rapine and
terror precipitated In our midst by
the black beasts who! have been as
saulting white women. As much as
The Independent hates lynch law, we
feel almost like standing up and Justi
fying it when we recall four brutal as
saults upon our white neighbors within
the last four weeks. The time has
come when the negro must take deci
sive actlon.hlmself to save the reputa
tion of the race. We must take Colonel
John Temple Graves' advice and stop
denouncing lynch law long enough to
do something to remove the cause.
Lynching will not relieve the situation:
Colonel John T. Graves' branding
scheme will not eradicate the Instinct;
Judge Fort’s deportation scheme Is
physically Impossible; Incendiary edi
torials, calculated to Inflame the inlnds
of the populace nnd Incite riot, will
not reach the evil.
The remedy must be Immediate,
drastic and heroic. The law Is ample
to reach every phase of crime and
sentiment is ripe to stamp out rape at
any cost. But It will take the deliber
ate and united determination of every
citizen. It cannot be done by Editors
Howell, Graves, Daniel land Gray ap
pealing to the prejudice and mob spirit
of our white neighbors, or by Indicting
the whole race as rapists. It cannot be
done by Insinuating thnt the law-abid
ing negroes are innrully responsible for
the conduct of the criminal element.
Neither cun It be done by tho negro
editors and preachers denouncing lynch
law In scathing terms nnd doing noth
ing to put out of existence the brutes
who ussault white women. This crime
and menace to the virtue of our women
cannot be put down by the white man
alone nor by the negro slnglo-handed,
but the united and determined action of
both can put to death or expel every
fiend from the community. Let us get
together and map out a red-hot cam
paign of death and damnation to every
brute In the community. It can be
done, and It must bo done. The Inde
pendent takes this opportunity to In
form our white neighbors that 90 per
cent of the race Is as much opposed to
rape and all lawlessness as Editors
Howell, Graves and Gray. Bishops
Turner and Gaines, Booker T. Washing
ton, Dre. Flipper, Carter, Proctor, John
son, Fountain, Harmon, Fleming, Du
bois are alt God-fearing men and ore
as much, opposed to the nameless crime
as the Innocent women who fall vic
tims to the lust of the black fiends who
pounce upon them like wild animals.
We desire to Inform the Hon. John
Temple Graves, who calls upon the
preachers and negro leaders to thunder
from their places hell and damnation
to the negro day In and day out, thot
the rapists do not attend church and
school, and cannot be reached there
from. They cannot be reached from
.the pulpit and lecture platform. But
they can be reached by Colonel Graves
and the negro leaders In short order
from tho negro dives, “Dago joints,”
and cess pools of vice and shame, au
thorized and permitted to operate In
the city by the law. The thieves and
rogues must be reached from these re
sorts of crime and Ipimorallty. The
only thing the preacher can do Is to
create sentiment among Ills people to
expel the criminals from the commun
ity. This they are doing dally, and
will continue to do, but they cannot
accomplish anything substantial so long
as the authorities allow dance halls,
negro dives nnd Dago joints to operate
and hover criminals and Idlers by pay
ing a part of their tainted money peri
odically Into the city treasury. The city
authorities know where every dive,
gambler's den and rendezvous for ne
gro criminals Is located, and could close
up every one of them In one hour If so
Inclined. Let us stop denouncing the
lynchers tong enough to give the cause
a deadly blow. Let us demand that the
authorities close up the town and sit
on the “lid." The Calvin vngrancy
law was enacted to rid the
state of loafers and criminals and
Its provisions are ample to do the
work and save the women of the com
munity If the authorities will enforce
them. Whether the authorities close
up or preserve the cess pools of Immor
ality In operation to breed criminals or
not. It Is up to the negro to do what he
can to stamp out crime. Conditions are
such In the community that the bar
barity of the criminal element 1s de
stroying both the usefulness nnd re
spectability of the entire racial body.
Both the remedy nnd necessity are ur
gent, and It Is up to us to take decisive
and determined action to save our
reputation. Wo cannot accomplish all
ourselves, but can help substantially
If the authorities will close up the
dives so the thugs and beasts will have
nowhere to hide. The Constitution says
drive the Idlers out and close up the
dives. The Independent says reverse—
close up the dives and you’ll have a
better opportunity to drive out the
thieves. Clean up Decatur and Peters
streets and you will go a long way to
ward protecting the women. The bur
den of action h.fa been shifted upon
our shoulders and we must make a
showing or the race Is doomed. This
we can do with the co-operation of the
constituted authorities and we must put
It up to our white neighbors to close up
the dives or hush talking about negro
criminals. The laws of Georgia are
adequate to handle every criminal, It
makes no difference how vicious; let
us do our duty, and fix the responsibil
ity for the brutes who run loose In the
community and assault white womeq.
The responsibility must be fixed.
B. J. DAVIS,
Editor Independent.
KEEP THE NEGROES DOWN.
To the Editor of The Georgian:
Atlanta, Just now. Is no place for n
negro business congress. Every one
of these negro gatherings has the ef
fect of stimulating the outside negro
with his self-importance and his claim
on anything that his fancy or his pas
sion calls for. The negro congress
should be cleaned out from Atlanta, as
•ell as from all other Southern locali
ties. Until the deviltry of one class
of negroes has ceased. It Is not the
time to bolster up tbe other class—
that's business.
FRANCIS B. LIVESEY,
Sykeavllle, Md., August 27, 1906.
OBJECTS TO THE ARMING OF WOMEN
To the Editor of The Georgian:
I beg leave to object to your frontispiece In yester
day's paper, as a type of our Southern woman. Surely
It Is not necessary to develop a nation of Amazon^ I
have always contended that all women should have add
ed to their other accomplishments, shooting and Bwlm-
mlng. Why could they not be taught In our female col
leges. under careful nnd competent touchers?
It Is well for every woman to know how to shoot, but
to organize clubs In the rural districts to teach the wo
men to shoot the negro as suggested by some one, enn
but work us untold harm. Nowhere would a woman he
safe If It was understood that the women were practicing
to kill n human nclng. The negro would naturally take
tlie defensive. Then again, haw many women would have
the nerve to shoot a man deliberately? It seems to mo
that the pistol upon the-person of the woman nttacked
would only prove n more effective weapon In the hands
of the assailant. Once the bruto finds the woman armed
he will be only the more stealthy nnd she will be first and
unexpectedly knocked senseless. Many women are so ex
citable no man's life would be safe If ho chanced to meet
one of them In a lonely place.
If on the other hand the woman must, go armed, It
calls for a revolution in dress, or 1 carry her weapon In
her purse. In that case you would never see one womnn
sit by another on cars or elsewhere. In her fear of her
sister's concealed weapon the black bruto would not be
In It. And would we be any safer from the law against
concealed weapons than our brothers?
It Is said a woman can do anything with a hair pin
but quiet tho children, what might she not do with plenty
of hat-pins If It wore not becoming unfashionable to
wear hats.
It strikes mo that the Increase of such crimes Is no
more than the growth of carelessness upon the part of our
women In their new- found independence. I visited At
lanta by night recently and saw many women out as
late as 10 nnd II o'clock unattended, except by another
woman. I said to my companion thnt ten years ago these
women would have been ostracized. May we not carry
this privilege to an extreme which will make us subjects
of many unpleasant happenings?
Tho crimes committed with a few exceptions may
be traced to unknown negroes: In other words, tramps.
In the South the negro prevails nnd many tramps are
produced among them, whllo In tho North tho foreign ele
ment prevails and there tho same crimes are committed
by whlto men. Today's morning papdr contains on Its
first page two such Instances. The color Is only skin
deep, the brutality Is In tho lower order of humanity. Let
tho women know how to defend themselves If they must,
but at the same time be careful to not place themselves In
danger's way by tholr own Imprudence.
I agree with M. Jl. that other means may he more
effectual thnn lynching, giving them also the opportunity
to repent and be good servants, but do not brand the
forehend for In that case If they tried ever so hard to
prove themselves worthy of our trust tho past could never
be wiped out. MRS. C. A. MAUCK.
Clarkston, Ga., Aug. 28.
THE NEGRO SITUATION
To the Editor of The Georgian:
You are getting people lu Bhape to meet and we must
have you present. Let us wait till you return from New
York. I want to hear from all Interested about a mass
meeting with Hoke Smith and John Templo Graves as
speakers anl If possible have Governor Vardanian, of
Mississippi, speak. The object of this meeting will not
be to solve this problem, but to know what to do, It is
about time the negro leaders were holding mass meetings
to help us solve it.
It Is better to solve this with brains than with
powder. I believe with a Joint meeting of the national
leaders of each party we could have the same plank In
each platform relative to this question. No difference
anyway except Just a matter of taste and smell. We used
to think It would take hundreds of years to settle this
matter, but the fight Is on and by the help of tho Lord
we are ready.
Whllo we are waiting on meetings let the blood
hounds be kept busy. Got the "Ku-Klux" ready, let the
women shoot, let "M. M.” get in his work; offer 310,
000 per head for each offender killed by a woman, as Mr.
Manget suggested; 3600 for each one brought In by man.
Give "M. M." 36 per head for his work with negro boys
under eight. Let's have that mass meeting. Yours
truly, CITIZEN,
Dr, Lee on Christian Union,
To the Editor of The Georgian: /
Dr. Lee "On the State of Religion In New York” In
your Saturday paper is very lino. And Dr. White, on the
"Cheering Cross” Is rich.
Dr. Lee's comments on the ease with which a congre
gation of Methodists, Baptists and Duch Reformed
churches come together Is very significant' and very
true. Tho fact ho points out Is easily rocognlzod by ev
ery student of religious history, ns It hns boon disclosed
during the last 26 years. The reasons given by Dr. Leo
to account for the fact that these denominations can,
so easily work together now, are both true. Tho consol
idated opposition to evangelical religion does compel
evangelical churches to stand closer togother. That Is
"the force from without," It Is also truo thnt tho evnn-
gellcal Christians are finding out that evangelical Chris
tianity is the same thing everywhere. He says: “All are
coming, as never beforo, to realize Jesus Christ ns their
common head," otc. Yes, and they are recognizing as
never before that tho will of the Master is recorded In
the Now Testament, nnd that that book must be our ul
tlmate and only rule of faith and practice. We are mak
ing use as never before of that single standard. It can-
not ho a matter of surprise, therefore, If those who know
and love the Lord should find themselves getting Into
closer and closer harmony as to the things ho would have
us to believe, and to do.
“A Christian Union," that Is forced artificially upon
people who do not agree, will be sure to fall. But when
it comes between people who have learned to think alike
about the will of the Master whom they love, It will be a
genuine union. And thr.t union Is forming now and got
ting stronger every year, as we get back closer and closer
to “The Book." A Christian must never ue afraid to
meet bis creed face to face on the pages of "The Book."
J. L. D. HILLYER.
Edgcwood, August 26.
The Women Are Grateful.
To the Editor of The Georgian:
I would Just like to voice the sentiments of millions
of Southern white women; and. Indeed, evory white wo
man and girl In the entire South, In thanking you moat
hoarttly for your brilliant and timely appeal to the duty
of Southern white men to their women, and at the tame
time your terrible warning, not only to the negro editors,
bishops, preachers and their qther leaders, but to their
entire race.
It waa simply magnificent! And you have received
the meritorious plaudits of our beloved Southland, and
will continue to receive them as tong aa you are and
continue to be the champion of fair wqmanhood.
Oh! rare man, would that we had more like you!
And to think that a rival editor chnuld have had the
temerity to have accused tbe brainiest and best of edi
tors of having extracted In toto bla paper’s views on the
subject Is too ridiculous to seriously contemplate!
The negroes have grown to bo (and especially tbe
vtctous rlnss of them) not only the "white man’s burden,"
but the "whlto woman’s terror,"
It seems that such a chivalrous and earnest appeal
as Jrour editorial, "The Reign of Terror for Southern
White Women." would not only arouse every white man
with a drop of Southern blood In his veins, but would
make him vow to "do and dare" whatever It may have
to come to, to suppress this more than horrible crime,
which Is ever on the Increase not only In Fulton county,
but In the whole South.
By all means let the wonderful Ku-Klux Klan reor
ganize, empower tho women to carry plztols, more than
treble the police protection In the rural districts (for they
are, by far, tbe most In danger); and perhaps again the
women of the South can walk without fear and feel that
they are in tbe land of tbe true and tbe brave.
If we had a few more daily papers like Tbe Georgian,
a few more editors like the courageous John Temple
Graves, a few more men like “Junius" of Rome, a few
more citizens like the "Soutbernlzed Northerner" and a
few others who were brsve enough to "speak out," then
our South would, Indeed, be Ideal.
With gratitude and best regards for the Hon. John
Temple Oraves and good luck to his paper. The Georgian,
I am AN ATLANTA WOMAN.
August 30, 1900.
THE WHITE MAN TO BLAME
To tho Editor of The Georgian:
1 suppose i all this hue and cry of "Lynch 'em!"
"Ku-Klux ’em!” the small voice of a dissenter will not bo
heard, or If heard wlll.be shouted down aa an alienist
in tho cause of Southern womanhood. This womanhood—
I am a woman—Is what 1 would make our protection, not
thnt to suffer as Spartan martyrs, but the courage to face
such things with a nerve that must daunt the wild ani
mal lust of a negro brute.
You believe and I know—from experience that I
shall relate—that a woman, If alone, see3 a negro,
becomes frightened; he secs tho condition that Just hts
presence reduces her to nnd thoughts nnd purposes and
deeds are aroused that he would,nevor have had but lor
certain knowledge of the woman's fear of him.
Again the cry of rape Is started by some hysterical
woman when there hna never been a shadow of such,
only In a frenzied Imagination.
Are we n superior rate when our womanhood, from
whence a nation draws Its llfo, afraid In the presence of
a negro? Thon broadcast such fear through tho papers
nnd reap the result. Suppress suclf fear and the deeds
thnt fear Induces. Who but has noticed that after the
commission of such crime, no matter how horrible the
punishment meted tho offender, tho score that quickly
follows. If lynching stops It, lynch; but It doesn't.
Deeper than physical fear must tho blow be struck.
Look at the hordes of mulatto children swarming In the
cltlea, the towns and even tho country nnd say how far
Is the white man responsible for conditions. If'he stoops
to tho black man's woman, what then when the black
man dares to lift lustful eyes to tho white man's woman ?
Can the Anglo Saxon cxtermlnnto the children of
his own blood, hnlf breed though they he?
"Let ho who Is without blomlsh cast the first stone ".
Accomplished by willing Intercourse on the white
man's part—bruto force by tho negro—the result is the „
sumo, outraged nature and degradation of our Southei’n
blood.
Then It riot, bloodshed nnd extermination must come.
In the namo of Justlco let It bo by men who are fit guar
dians of tho South's honor.
I Intended to relate a bit of my own experelnce, hut
I have expressed myself at considerable length, so must
omit It, ns possibly It would benefit no one. Yours for the
South’s honor and Justlco. Sincerely
VARA A. MAJETTE.
Josup, Ga., August 27.
The Ku-Klux Klan Suggested.
To tho Editor of Tho Georgian:
I have read your editorial of the 24th under the cap
tion, “The Reign of Terror Must End," with Intense
Interest and I heartily concur with you that effective
measures must be speedily taken to stop the atrocious
crime. However, tho remedy you suggest will never do,
since tho more you agitato this question among the ne
groes tho more frequently will tho crime be committed.
Our most eminent psychologists nnd criminologists all
agree that suggestion 1b frequently a fertile cause of
crime. Therefore, to glvo publicity to the crime of rape
among an Ignorant, lustful nnd licentious people Is to In
vite It through the discussion which onsucB from the
leaders of the race In in all sections of the South. The
duplicity of tho prominent mon of tho race Is one of the
roost potent causes of the commission of not only rape,
but less enormous offenses. Tho leaders, divines and
teachers of tho negro race will. In tho presence of promi
nent whites, severely condemn rape, and In the column*
of our newspapers will write scrtthlng denunciations of
It, and Implore tholr pooplo to tako concerted aetton to
eliminate It; hut once outside the hearing and keu
of tho whlto man tho self-same “leader" will covertly en-
courage tho heinous crime.
Evory negro divine, teacher and leader, as well as
tho rank nnd file of tho negro population, Is at heart an
enemy of the white, however much he may affirm the
contrary. This Is no dream or mere prejudice of the
writer In slating this truism. Actual knowledge of the
animosity of the negro toward tho white can only be
gained by careful study extending over a long term of
years. Tho writer waa reared among the negroes, and
for more thnn forty years has In the capacity of a large
planter had the opportunity of learning the treachery of
tho raco thoroughly. Ho has seen the different theoret
ical measures proposed by university-bred editors, un
sophisticated as to tho real nature of the rare, all come
to naught. The crime continues, and recently has taken >
on a more aorlona aspect, since fiends have become em
boldened to even Invade tho portals of our populous
cities to select their victims.
Wo must effect measures which will Inaugurate a
Reign of Terror” among the negroes. This Is the only
remedy. In the opinion of tho writer, who hns seen all
other supposed remedies prove futile, that will actually
suppress tho crime. How can the remedy be applied?
By reviving the Ku-Klux Klan, nnd for every rape or
attempt to rape execute a certain number of negro teach
ers, divines or leaders in tho community where the crime
Is committed, in a mysterious manner. The race Is very
superstitious and the mystery surrounding the K. K. K.
will, if It bo well organized, quickly strike terror to the
hearts of the race: and only a fow executions will be nec
essary to make tbe number of rapes few and far be
tween.
The strong arm of tho state, nor our federal laws
can suppress rape and lynching, but the remedy sug
gested will certainly do so provided It Is made universal
throughout tbe South. JOHN T. DENNIS.
Mcda, Ga., Aug 27, 1906.
ELECTION VERSE.
To the Editor of Tho Georgian: ,
The people spoke In accents loud.
With a united voice;
And for the good of all I'm proud
They made Hoke Smith their choice.
Tho blow that broko the Georgia slates
Was no cyclonic puff;
It's sweeping these United States
From Boston to tho Gulf.
