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Political and Social Changes in the New South. Chapter 15. White Supremacy. By the mid 1870’s Democratic Party is back in control in Georgia. Democratic leaders want to “undo” changes made during Reconstruction. Believed control of society should be in the hands of the white race.
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White Supremacy • By the mid 1870’s Democratic Party is back in control in Georgia. • Democratic leaders want to “undo” changes made during Reconstruction. • Believed control of society should be in the hands of the white race.
Constitution of 1877 • Lead by Robert Toombs, in response to great debts during Reconstruction. Constitution would 1) Not allow states to borrow money 2) Demand tax money only be spent as stated in constitution, and 3) Governors/state senators could only serve 2-year terms.
Bourbon Redeemers • Democrats who wanted Georgia to become more self-efficient. • They looked for investors from the North to build mills and factories in Georgia • Realized that the “New South” had to diversify and move away from making cotton the main industry.
The Bourbon Program • The Bourbon program wanted - white supremacy, - one-party politics (Democrat), - low taxes, and - a limited role for state government.
Henry Grady • Editor and part owner of Atlanta Constitution newspaper, he coined the phrase “New South” • Spoke all over the country to encourage investing in the South • Died at age 39 of pneumonia • What is named after him?
Depression and Race • National depression between 1870 and 1900. • Democrats were afraid of losing power. • Often warned southern whites that, if Democrats were voted out of power, then black voters may take over.
Farmers vs. Democrats • Small farmers wary of Democrats, afraid they wanted to get rid of the cotton industry. • Dr. William Felton and his wife, Rebecca Latimer Felton, lead movement to get rid of Democrat Party (formed Independent Party) • Dr. Felton campaigned to help farmers and was elected to U.S. Congress 3 times.
Farmers Alliance • Had a membership of 100,000. Called for • Better schools and roads • Changes in tax laws to help farmers • Changes to laws regarding transportation costs. • Alliance was successful in getting laws passed.
Tom Watson • 26-year-old lawyer sent by black and white farmers to the General Assembly • Disagreed with “New South” philosophy, claimed banks, railroads and politicians were “against farmers” • Became a U.S. Congressman and created law for RFT (rural free delivery)
Tom Watson • Joined the Populists (People’s) Party, calling all farmers (black and white) to unite. Ran for Congress again as a Populist. • Democrats fought back by warning whites that voting blacks would put blacks into office. • Democrats paid people to vote. • Watson lost election. He did well financially, but he was always bitter about this outcome.
The Progressive Movement • Progressive Democrats lead by Hoke Smith • Wanted to “help” society by improving education and legislating moral behavior. • Opposed to selling alcoholic beverages • Opposed equality among races
Disfranchisement • Progressive Democrats wanted disfranchisement (taking away black person’s right to vote). • Wanted to also take away voting rights of poor whites, because they weren’t “intelligent or virtuous”. • This is right under 15th Amendment, so they could not change the actual law.
Getting Around the 15th Amendment • Progressive Democrats created voting laws stating • All property taxes must be paid 6 months before an election • You have to pay a poll tax to vote (money for schools) • Only whites could vote in a primary election (known as white primary).
Primary Elections • Primary elections were held by the Democrats to decide which candidates would run for office. • Since all candidates were Democrats, it was considered to be a “private” election. • This was argument to get around 15th. • Hoke Smith ran for Governor on this platform.
The Literacy Test • Lawmakers, to prevent blacks from voting, proposed a state amendment that voters had to take a literacy test. • Most blacks were former slaves (what was the law about teaching slaves to read or white?)
Exemption to Literacy Test • So that illiterate whites could vote, the exemptions to the law were as follows: • They were under a good character exemption (good citizens) • Owned at least 40 acres of land in Georgia or had property worth at least $500 • Served or were descendents of the Confederate Army (grandfather clause)
Prevention of Social Equality Southerners across the region created laws to ensure that blacks remained unequal to whites. Most of these laws enforced segregation, the public separation of blacks and whites.
Segregation • Jim Crow Laws enforced segregation (separate passenger cars, convict camps, schools, and other public places) • Most public facilities were labeled “White” or “Colored”
Separate but Equal Doctrine • De Jure Segregation – segregation by law (Jim Crow laws), helped to create… • De Facto Segregation – social segregation (existing in fact). Enforced segregation in daily life. • Federal Government believed segregation in military was acceptable.
Plessy v. Ferguson • First case to challenge segregation in the Supreme Court • Black man tried to ride in a train car reserved for whites. • Supreme Court ruled that, as long as there were public facilities for both races, then the separate but equal doctrine was constitutional. However, most facilities for blacks (including schools) were far inferior to facilities for whites.
Social Reform Laws • New federal, state and local laws created to regulate child labor, health and safety standards, and working conditions. These laws included: • Child labor – children were major workforce in textile industry. General Assembly prohibited children under 10 to work in factories.
Prison Reform • Prisoners were leased to private companies to work. • Mentally handicapped men, women and children were often sent to prisons when there was no one to care for them. 90% were black. • Reform was slow – first juvenile courts created in 1915.
Prohibition • Churches and moral groups wanted to outlaw the sale of alcohol. • During elections, a local option allowed counties to decide if they were “wet” or “dry”. • In 1906 the Auburn Race Riots lead to the General Assembly making alcohol illegal. • Federal (U.S.) prohibition became law in 1916.
Suffrage • Rebecca Latimer Felton was leader in both prohibition and women’s suffrage (along with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton). • Women given the vote in Wyoming as early as 1869. • U.S. Constitution ratified 19th Amendment in 1920, and Georgia complied in 1921.
