The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-01
Whites and Negroes ON Trains.

Galveston News.)
The correspondence between Mr..
Hoxie and Governor Ireland shows a
business manager studious to comply
with the law, but at the same time to
do the best possible for his company's
interest. In the final decision as to
providing separate cars for whites
and negroes there can be no doubt
that certain amount of railroad COM
petition, as well as a knowledge of
the value of acting in harmony
with a liberal public spirit, will
have influence. The same cores
pondence shows the governor to be
solicitous for preserving the peace
and amenities of life and procuring
the removal of a cause of irritation.
There are two very distinct recon-
mepAations made by the governor.
First, that separate cars shall be pro-
vided; second, that where this Is not
done Immediately, the company shall
see that better diligence is observed to
prevent negroes from occupying the
same seats with whites. There can be
but little question that every
railroad manager will respond
promptly to the aforementioned
demand. Right here the News
would remark that the irritation over
this question that has lately been
noticed was evidently the result of a
special contest which Is now over.
The irritating acts of negroes were
exceptional, and probably performed
to vindicate what they enormously
conceived to be their rights. There
might be some difficulty in providing
separate cars in all cases. Suppose
that on a certain train there are three
cars for whites and one car for col
ored people. The colored peoples car
being full, the white peoples cars
being half full, at a way station
several colored people want to get on
the train. Are they to stand up in
their car or be left behind because
there is no room, or are the white PEG
pie to be rounded up and moved into
two cars and thus another car be pro
vided for the negroes? Some of the
railroads run through sections Of
country where there are few negroes
and other sections where there are
many. The management must antici
pate having some difficulty in keeping
its promises if it formally under
takes to provide separate cars al
the way through. When the preten
sion of a few obstreperous negroes tC
select their own seats right among
the whites so as to be unpleasant il
firmly put down, and men of botf
colors are made to behave respect
fully, there is so little in the matter
that it will hardly be worth talking
about. In the street cars white an(
colored people sit side by side, and il
Galveston the colored men are duly
considerable of the propriety of taking
a place somewhat removed from an.
white lady who may occupy a seat il
the car. The hubbub will be over il
a short time, if there be proper pc
lice force put on the trains, ant
it may not necessarily be wises
or best for railroad manager
to pledge themselves to absolute
separation of races, though such pro
vision ought certainly to be made a
will suit the tastes of the travelling
publicso far as the expense can be met
The colored people have plenty o
sense and plenty of proper feeling t.
behave themselves when they are al
fairly treated, and their rougher ele
ment firmly treated. There are ais
some Objectionable looking and smell
ing white men on most trains, and TO
that reason is need of some polio,
measures