The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, September 04, 1919, Image 1
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., BYRNES TAKES UP
- NEGRO QUESTION
SENSATION CAUSED BY SPEECH
IX HOUSE.
V . "
Calls
For Action
South Carolina Representative Declares
Race Antagonism is Fostered
Through Magazines.
!?> ' r
Washington, Aug. 25.?Declaring
v; ' , that he had become convinced that
V .
Via mho oTifooTinicm nnw mnrnfpstine1"
VUV 1C?W C*A-4 "V/ " wv?0
itself throughout this country is being
ci?bulated through negro newspapers
and magazines and that he
had called for action by the department
of justice, Congressman Byrnes,
South Carolina, today addressed the
^ v house on this subject. The following
is part of his speech, until stopped
by Republican members who would
not let him discuss the matter fur
ther.
"The recent race riots in Washington
and Chicago ..and many other
similar disturbances throughout the
* country have caused the press to
^ speculate as to the underlying causes
. of the conflict between the races. It
W&jK + < v
^ is manifest that, when sanguinary
conflicts take place in cities so widely
separated and within so short a
, * time, the cause is general and not
v. - . local. The white man who reads the
newspapers of the country knows that
.. nothing has been done to change the
attitude of the white man towards the
negro race. .On the contrary, the very
V generous si^port of the war by the
negro caused the white people of the
nation to entertain for him only the
best of good feeling. For this sudden
change in our relations then we
must look to negro leadership to ascertain
whether or not efforts have
* been made to disturb the harmonious
relations heretofore existing in this
^ country. I recently noticed in the
f j press a statement quoting a professor
: '* 7 at'Howard University (negro) as saying
that after a trip through the
i
South he was convinced that there
was imminent danger of the South
becoming a 'little Russia.' Coming
from Sjouth Carolina I think I know
something of the negro and I was
\ convinced that there" was absolutely
^ no foundation for the opinion of the
professor of this negro university.
In the South today the negro is prospering
as never before in the history
of his race. He is accumulating
i-V-V' '
. money; he is purchasing land and
through the assistance of the white
man is daily bettering his condition.
I^eft to ourselves there is no possiability
of conditions arising in the
South which would justify the de
^scription of a 'little Russia.'
j "But the statement above quoted,
together with the general speculation
v * of the cause of the riots in WashingPton
and Chicago, has caused me to
inquire into the attitude of the negro
press, and I have become convinced
itself-throughout the country today is
v due to the incendiary utterances of
the would-be leaders of the race now
being .circulated through negro newspapers
and magazines. It is evident
that the leadership of Morton and
ethers, who, following in the steps of
Booker Washington, preached conservation
to the race, is now being
challenged by a crowd of radicals who
are appealing to the passions of the
negroes and inciting them to deeds of
violence. These radical leaders of
|r- v, the negro race are urging their followers
to resort to violence in order
to secure privileges they believe
themselves entitled to, and the recent
\ . riots indicate that they are accepting
thi$ advice. It is unfortunate
* . that some negro leaders have changed
their attitude^ inspired doubtless
** by the desire to promote the success
ill A VIA/^iAaI 1 AO /I A foiT* lllllO
/ Ul LLiC i auiuii icaucio. n. lan muo"
tration of this type of negro leader
is W. E. B. Dubois, editor of the The
Crisis, a magazine. Dubois has heretofore
rendered great service to his
people by intelligent leadership. He
Required influence over many
[ thoughtful negroes and, therefore,
his capacity for evil is enlarged. The
recent issiies of his magazine are filled
with appeals to the prejudice and
the passions of the negro which can
have no other result than to incite
him to deeds of violence. A fair example
is an editorial in the May issue
of The Crisis, page 13, where
under the headline, 'Returning Soldiers,'
he declares: 'We sing this
; country of ours despite all its better
* souls have done and dreamed, is yet
a shameful land.
" 'It lynches?it disfranchises its ^
r ..
own citizens?it encourages ignorance?it
steals from us?it insults
us.'
"The espionage law still in force
provides that 110 one shall wilfully
print, write or publish any language
intended to incite, provoke or encourage
resistance to the United
States, or who shall publisfy any
abusive language about the form of
government of the United States,
shall be punished by a fine or imprisonment.
If this editorial which
refers to this as a 'shameful land'
charging the government with- lynching.
disfranchising its citizens, encouraging
ignorance, and stealing
from its citizens, does not constitute
a violation of the espionage'law it
would be difficult to conceive language
sufficiently abusive to constitute
a violation. Believing this to be
true I have called this editorial to
the attention of the attorney general
with the request that he have proceedings
instituted against Dubois.
Xo greater service can be rendered
to the negroes today than to have
them know that this government will
not tolerate, on the part of its leaders,
action which tends to array them
against the government under which
they live and under which the negro
race has made greater progress
than it has under any other government
on eafth.
Letter From Officer.
"In the same issue of this magaI
zine, page 20, is carried with the approval
of its editors, a letter written
#
by a negro officer in France containing
this statement:
" 'I am beginning to wonder whether
it will ever be possible for me to
see an American (white) without
wishing that he were in his satanic
majesty's private dominion. I must
pray long and earnestly that hatred
of my fellowman be removed from
my heart and that I can truthfully
lay claim to being a Christian.'
"But if the policy of these men and
these newspapers is calculated to
bring about race conflicts in ttiis
country, what can we expect of the
Challenge, edited by William Bridges,
and of the Messenger, which boasts
that it is the only radical negro magazine
in America. The Messenger is
edited by A. Philip Randolph, and
Chandler Owens. It is printed upon
paper of as fine, if not finer, quality
than any magazine in circulation today.
It does not carry a half dozen
advertisements outside of its own.
It is therefore, evident that it is being
supported by contributions, from
some source, and the material in the
magazine is conclusive that the
source from which the support comes
is inimical to the existence of this
government. It appeals to the establishment
of a Soviet government.
It praises the treatment of the negro
soldier by the Germans, as contrasted
by the treatment of the negro by the
allied forces. It urges the negro to
join the I. W. W., pays tribute to
Debs and prays for the establishment
of a Bolsheviki government in this
land.
"In view of these statements published
in July and simijar publications,
it is not very difficult to ascertain
the source of the trouble that
brought about these recent riots in
Washington and Chicago, and threatens
to disturb the peace of other large
cities. (There can be no other result
from the continued publication I
ana circulation 01 tnese magazines.;
"This is the propaganda being circulated
among the negroes. It can
only result in the shedding of blood,
not only of the white man. but of
many innocent ignorant negroes, who
are misled by these men into committing
acts of violence. If -the espionage
law does not empower the department
to suppress such publications,
then it shotfld be4 so amended
as to confer that power. I believe
in a free press, but just as some of
our people are unable to distinguish
between liberty and license, there
are those who are not able to dis!
tinguish between a free press and a
revolutionary press, whose object is
to overthrow governments and destroy
the happiness, peace and prosr*oritv
nf mir npnnle.
1V V4. V-*
"It took us a long time to realize
the evil of the foreign language press,
in which strange doctrines were being
taught to those who came from other
lands, but who are now included in
our citizenship. We place them today
under close surveilance in order that
they may not menace the safety of
our government by the circulation of
revolutionary doctrines. Tn like manner
must we prevent the T. W. W.
from using its funds for the publication
of newspapers seeking to bring
about a revolution between the races
of this country.
"And the negro leaders may as
J
GOVERNOR COOPER !
DISCUSSES H. C. L.
GIVES INTERVIEW .AFTEII ATTEXJ)I
XG COX FEREXCE.
People to Know Facts
Says Xeed of Hour Is the Increased
Production of Foodstuffs.
^
Washington, Aug. 30.?Governor
Cooper, of South Carolina, who has
been here for the past two days at-1
tending the governor's conference
called because nf Pres;dpnt Wilcnn'c
reference to cooperation between the
federal and State governments in the
high cost of living and general unrest
problems, was asked this afternoon
how the matters discussed at
the conference affected the Palmetto
State. The Governor replied:
"The way it appears to me, speaking
for South Carolina, and bearing
in mind the duty and privilege of the
people of South Carolina to serve the
whole country in the emergency which
is now world-wide, is that the need
of the hour is an increase in the production
of foodstuffs and conservative
buying of the necessaries of life.
"So far as I l$now there is no
hoarding in our State, and I am not
expecting any prosecutions there by
the federal government. While conditions
in South Carolina may be entirely
satisfactory, there is unqestionably
a very unsatisfactory condition
in our section of the United
States. I think the government will
give the people full information as to
the reasonable cost of production;
then public opinion will furnish the
remedy. Take the matter of shoes,
for example. It is generally reported
that a pair of shoes that is sold
by the retailer for $15 is produced
and delivered to the retailer at a cost
of $7.50 to $9. I do not know whether
this is true or not. If it is, the
fact should be ascertained by the
government and the government
should let the people know it.
"Whenever there is a combination
or agreement between individuals or
corporations to maintain unreasonable
prices on any of the necessities
of life, and by reason of any such
combination or agreement they are
in a position to maintain any such
fixed prices, a proper case for prosecution
is presented. It is quite evident
that the original producer of
the raw/' material is not responsible
for excessive prices. The difficulty
will be found somewhere in the process
between the original producer
and the consumer."
Governor Cooper called on the
North Carolina delegation at the capitol.
Adjutant General Moore was
present at the same time and the
question of the National Guard was
discussed to some extent with the
delegation. This problem as it affects
South Carolina and many other States
has been fully presented to Secretary
of War Baker by Governor Cooperand
nther State executives who are
here. Pending Mr. Baker's consideration
of the matter, the Governor preferred
not to comment for publication
upon it.
well re&lize at once their responsibility.
Ninety per cent, of the people
of this country are white, ten per
cent, are black. The negro problem
, is no longer a Southern problem, if
the negro in recent years has emigrated
from the South to the North,
and the Anglo-Saxon of the North
today has towards the negro the same
feeling as the Anglo-Saxon of the
South. For years it was truly said
that the North had the principles,
but the South had the negroes. Today
the North also has the negroes.
I and with the coming </f the negro, I
many of those principles have departed,
People of the North have
come to realize that in the absence
of the negro they could believe in
political and social equality of the
races, but that whenever the negro
in any large number come into a community
or State, that belief is swept
away by that which is greater than
constitutional or legislative enact-,
ment: namely, a new instinct of a
human being. We can provide employment
for every negro who in re7
cent years ieft the South, but if they
have been inoculated with the doctrines
being preached through the
negro press of the North and astertain
any desire for social or political
equality we have in the South no
employment for them and no room
for them.
"It is stated that in inducing ne-1
i
)
i
KEEPS UP AVERAGE.
Slate's Homicide Record Excites
Williams's Comment.
Secretary G. Croft Williams, of tlie
State board of charities and corrections
has been studying the prevalence
of crime since the war. He
says he is astonished to find that in
the North and the West homicides
have dec-rased since the armistice
was signed.
Air. Williams has received a letter
from the secretary of the State board
r *
of charities and corrections of New
Hampshire, in which was the following
statement: "The situation in
New Hampshire does not appear to
be the same as in South Carolina.
The only indictments for homicides
in this State for the past year have
been for deaths caused by the recklessness
of automobile drivers, while
the number of commitments for other
offences has been materially reduced."
There are not a dozen counties
in South Carolina that could show so
good a report as this.
"From the press dispatches." Mr.
Williams said. "I conclude that we
continue to keep our average of one
homicide a day in this State. Many of
these homicides are of a brutal and
revolting character, showing a state
of mind that is depraved and beyond
all call for the common good. A new
factor in the growth of homicide is
the number of accidental killings,
these are usually committed by young
boys that are allowed to toy with
deadly weapons.
"Why is it that South Carolina
must have a killing a day when New
Hampshire can thrive without a killing
a year? Is it that we have some
superior stuff in us that is manifested
in this manner, or is it because of a
different kind of machinery for the
gaining of justice, or is it the prevalence
of a false notion that honor is
test satisfied at the end of a pistol?
Whatever may be the cause, the number
of persons that hav& died as a
sacrifice to prejudice, passion and
vengeance is beyond all reason. Ar*
South Carolinians of such a miserable
breed that it is necessary for
4 J * 1 1. 1 J _ i. A 1 1 ^ O
tnem 10 oe siaugnuerea ai uus rate:
It is time that we face this question
honestly and ask ourselves what we
should do about it."
RELIC OF BYGONE DAY.
Yest Seventy-Six Years Old Owned
By Barnwell County Man.
Barnwell, Aug. 28.?S. J. Carroll,
who lives near Long Branch church,
a few miles from Barnwell, is the
possessor of an old vest, that is quite
a curiosity to the people of this generation.
The cotton of which it was
made was grown near Reedy Branch
church, this county, by the late Sam
Williams, the thread being spun and
cloth woven by his wife, who also
made the garment. The cloth was
dyed with home-made indigo dvgrstfd
the color is remarkably well preserved.
The vest is known to be at least
76 years old and is possibly older.
It was given to Mr. Carroll by his
mother and he prizes it highly for its
family association.
groes to emigrate from the South to
Chicago, negro employment leagues
have held hope of social equality, and
negroes upon their arrival are taken
to the "royal garden" where they are
permitted to mingle with the debased
white women who frequent that rej?
r* *-> tr caii f t>_
Still. X UCiC IS ill! 1UUI1I 111 a 11,?
ern State for any negro who has been
entertained at the "royal garden."
His return to the South with
his boast of conquest can only
result in exciting the lust
of some innotent negro and
causing his early death. For notwithstanding
all of the efforts that have
been made by the press and pulpit to
discourage lynching, the fact remains
that whenever a negro attacks a
white woman in the South only extraordinary
measures can avoid a
lynching. I know that it is true
lynchings have taken place for other
provocations and that is the result of
public sentiment sustaining mob law
for any provocation. But the press
and pulpit and leaders of the sourn
have always condemned it, and in
my own State T rejoice to say that
few lynchings have taken place within
the last decade. The peculiar thing
to my mind is that while the negro
leaders and many white men of other
sections, join the leaders of the
South in condemning lynching, they
seldom join us in condemning th6
crime of the negro that provokes the
lynching."
This speech created a tremendous
sensation in the house and leaders
after other parliamentary tactics failed
forced adjournment.
CARMACK'S SLAYER
VICTIM OF MURDER
MOWN* J. COOPER IS MYSTERIOUSLY
KIJjLEI) NEAR HOME.
\
Murderers Unidentified
Tragedy Recalls the Most Notable
Trial in History of Yolunteer
State.
Nashville. Tenn.. Aug. 30.?Robin
J. Cooper, a Nashville attorney,
whose trial for the killing of former
United States Senator Edward \Y.
Carmack during the celebrated pistol
duel between his father, Col. D. B.
Cooper and Carmack, in 190S, attracted
country-wide attention, has
been murdered here under mysterious
circumstances.
Cooper's body was taken from
RirhlanrT rrppk tnrln\T ennn uftor Viic
blood-stained automobile had been
found on a bridge near his home in
the fashionable .Belle Meade Park
section. The skull had been crushed,
but there was evidence that a violent
struggle had taken place before
the fatal blow was struck.
A coroner's inquest late today
developed no clues to the murderer
or murderers, but the police are proceeding
on the theory that Cooper
was lured from his home by persons
determined to rob him. This
theory is based largely upon evidence
that Cooper drew $10,000 from a
bank a short time before he disappeared
last Thursday night.
Lured From Home.
The authorities assume that the
young lawyer was lured from his
home to the secluded bridge over the
creek and there done to death. The
condition of the clothing indicated
that he had been dragged some distance
before he was thrown into the
water. Physicians who examined the
body said the small amount of water
found in the lungs was evidence that
Cooper was dead when dropped into
the creek.
Mrs. Cooper, who is a daughter of
Milton J. Smith, president of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad, has
been visiting relatives in Louisville.
TCv.. and her absence accounts for the
fact that the disappearance of her
husband did not become known until
today.
There was no evidence that the
Cooper home had been robbed after
the murder and some doubt has been
expressed that the murderers could
have expected that the lawyer would
have any great sum on his person.
His empty pocketbook, however, was
found in the bottom of the 'automobile.
Governor Offers Reward.
Governor Roberts has offered a reward
of $500 for the arrest and conviction
of the murderers of the lawyer.
This was later supplemented by
the offer of a similar amount by the
family. The police admit that they
have nothing on which to work in
solving the mystery.
The Carmack tragedy, the most
notable in the history of Tennessee,
grew out of the Carmack-Patterson
race for governor in 1908, in which
Col. D. B. Cooper, father of Robin J.
Cooper, was one of Patterson's closest
advisers.
Tn the fatal encounter which oc
currert on an uptown street or .\asnville
November 9, 1901. the son fired
the shot which ended earmark's life
and in the shooting was himself
wounded.
Father and son were convicted of
murder in the second; degree in the
lower court, but on the appeal of the
case to the supreme court, the verdict
was reversed as to the son, the
judges standing 3 to 2. The verdict
as to Col. Cooper was sustained 3 to
2, but before leaving the capitol the
father was pardoned by Governor Patterson.
The case against Robin J hooper,
when it came up again in the Davidson
county criminal court, was drop
pen.
Fatal Wreck at Allendale.
Allendale, Aug. 30.?A. Goldman,
a negro ex-soldier, was instantly killed.
two white men were painfully injured
and a second negro was, it is
said, fatally injured when a log train
composed of two trucks and an engine,
loaded with logs, was completely
wrecked at a lumber mill at Martins.
Witnesses say the weight of
the two log trucks pulled the engine
down a grade which it had just climbed
and this caused the wreck.
APPLIES FOE $600 REWARD.
Offered By State of South Carolina
in 1877 for Five Men.
Columbia. Aug. 30.?G. W. Fisher,
of Tryon. X. C., inquired of the office
of Governor Cooper about a reward
of $300 offered by the State of South
Carolina for the delivery of five men,
alleged to have been implicated in
the killing of James Ledford, at
Landrum's Station. Spartanburg
county, S. C.. June 12, 1S77.
James C. Derieux, secretary to the
governor has unearthed a proclamation
issued by Wade Hampton, when
Chief Executive of State, offering a
reward of $300 each for the apprehension
and arrest of John Weaver,
Bud Casey, Frank Moss, William
Ford and Henry Vernon, alleged to
have been implicated in the murder
of James Ledford. The proclamation
was dated July 19, 1877, and was
.signed by R. M. Sims, secretary of
State.
- The letter of inquiry for G. W.
Fisher was written by George A.
Cash, justice of the peace and notary
public, of Trvon, X. C., and stated
that Fisher captured William Beach
and Frank Moss delivering them to
the authorities of Spartanburg county
and that he has filed application
to receive his reward of $600, although
he took the mattei\ up with
former Governors Ellerbe and Heyward.
The proclamation of Wade Hampton
makes no reference to William
Beach and Charles Beach, mentioned
in Mr. Cash's letter as being two of
the accused men for whom rewards
were issued.
DENTIST UNHURT IN ATTACK.
l >
Policeman Fires Five Times at Dr.
Lucius L. Toole, Columbia.
Columbia, Aug. 28.?M. C. Sligh,
policeman at Bennettsville, Marlboro
county, was lodged in jail, in
Columbia tonight after firing five
shots at Dr. Lucius L.. Toole, Columbia
dentist. All the shots went
wild, as ^everal persons grabbed the
infuriated man, who continued to firein
the air and into the street.
That no one was hit seems almost
miraculous, as Keith's Theatre on the
same block had just let out from the
first performance and hundreds of
people were passing, many of them
directly by the couple along Main
street. Apparently there was no occasion
for the shooting. Dr. Toole
and his family had been to the- show
and were in the act of getting into
their automobile when Sligh, who
was apparently under'the influence
of some narcotic or alcoholic beverage,
began cursing Dr. Toole. A blow
or two passed and Sligh drew his pistol
and began firing. Sligh was lodged
in jail, several serious charges
lodged aginst him. He was formerly
a member of'Columbia police force
and a tendency to drink then was
manifested, it is said.
LOWER PRICES COMING.
Vigorous Action Promised Against
Produce Profiteers.
Washington, Aug. 30.?Unless reductions
in wholesale food prices re- i
suiting from sharp breaks on the
produce markets are passed on to
iriffArnnt: prHnn will be
111C LUIiOllllitl I ? taken
by the department of justice,
it was said today.- Since most dealers
now are cooperating in the campaign
to reduce living costs, officials
said the lower wholesale prices should
be reflected on the retail market in
the near future.
Profiteering on sugar virtually has
ceased, according to Judge Ames, assistant
to the attorney general, in
charge of administering the food control
act. Eleven cents, he said, now
is accepted as the just price by dealers
throughout the country.
CONDITION COTTON 58.2 PER CT.
? - C11 V
Results Will iTonauiy^nnow unrgest
Yield lied notion Ever Recorded.
\
Columbia, Aug. 2S.?The American
Cotton Association issued the fol- v
lowing report tonight, placing the
condition of the cotton crop on August
25 at 58.2 per cent. The government
crop report, giving condidition
on August 25, will be issued
September 2. There was a difference
of only .1 per cent, in the last American
Cotton Association report and.
the government report.
^ < ?
There was one thing never held
against Nero; he didn't take an en
core.
' \ : :: -v
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