The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-05-17
THE COLORED MANS HOPE.
BISHOP TURNER'S PROPHECY
OF A NATION IN AFRICA.
The Present Wrongs and Ind1gni-
ties in the South-The Colored
Race to be the Rulers Of the
Earth.


view with reporter of the Baltimore
american, Bishop Turner, of At
lanta. who is now attending the Gen
eral Conference of the African Meth
odist Episcopal Church in this city,
said to day: 'In some parts of the
South the colored people are treated
very fairly. In Arkansas colored
man is treated as well as a white man,
while in other States we are taught TO
recognize our color as soon as our feet
touch the soil But witbal our con-
dition is better than it was 10 years
ago"
"Are you treated the same in your
section since the Civil Rights bill
was declared unconstitutional 2
"There is no material difference in
our treatment, except on the railroads
and steam boats. believe in some
places colored men are being dropped
from the jury Lists, but Of this | can
not speak authoritatively. Nothing
has hurt us SO much since the day we
were emancipated as the action of the
Supreme Court Since that cruel de-
cision have heard nearly every col
ored man | met while travelling abusing
the Supreme Court Judges. l never
heard so many damns hurled at one
set of men in my life, nor have ever
heard so many prayers offered to
Heaven against any body of men.
The railroad companies compel US to
buy first class tickets and then oblige
us to ride in smoking cars. 1t mat
tiers not how well dressed we are or
how intelligent and refined. l know
colored ladies who have been treated
10 the most cruel manner by brake
men for refusing to ride in smoking
cars, while white female passengers,
who in some instances are not all
they might be, are treated as queens.
| will go further and say that in sew
eralinstances pistols have been drawn
on colored passengers to force them
to submit to sucn degradation, and |
that the railroad officials excuse them
selves by saying they are only pro
tecting their interests. Such is the |
order of things in the South, and it
is all due to Justice Bradley, who |
kept Tilden out of the Presidency
after he was legally elected"
"Will you name one of the roads
that ill-treat their colored passen-
gers?'
ga few weeks ago | met my wife,
at Cleveland, Tenn, who was re-
turning from Washington to my home
IN A4lo.-4-, O. SL-I-.-ta IiauUn "a
frst-class car to that city, where she
had to change. | conducted her into
a first class coach, where the only
other passengers were two white
men. Very soon brakeman rushed
in and said to us: Here, you folks
will have to 60 into the front car
| asked him if he meant the smoking
car, and he said he did not care what
kind of car it was, [ would have to
ride in it. | told him my wife had
the heart disease and it would be
dangerous for her to inhale tobacco
smoke. He interrupted me by say
ing, Don't stop to argue with me:
get out or will put you both OUT
and he moved toward my wife
intercepted him and said: please let
me say a word to you kindly. l
want no trouble, and ] pray God you
will save me from any, but if you
touch my wife there will be funeral
to- morrow in either your family or
my own He gave me terrible
look and then passed on. My wife
remained in the car, and l went into
the smoking car in order not to give
too much offense.'
"Another case" continued the
Bishop, occurred on the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad on the Sd of
the month. Mrs. Sarah Lewis,
boarded the train at Gainesville,
Tenn. As she was refused admission
into any of the first class cars she re-
NAMED on the platform. While the
train was in motion, because the con-
ductor could not pull her into the
smoking car, he struck her in the face
She has entered suit against the COM
pany. There are several ministers
from the South, now attending the
General Conference in Philadelphis,
who are inveigled into buy ing first
class tickets upon the promise of the
agents Of the Southern roads that
they would be permitted to occupy
first class cars, but upon leaving New
Orleans they were obliged to 60 into
the smoking cars. When they OBJ
jected, the officials told them they |
would either have to go into the
smoking-car, or to. ! could give
names and dates of several other in
dignlties upon our people if necessary |
but what l have told you will serve
to enlighten the public
'Do you think the condition OF |
affairs will ALLEVIATE the affections of |
your race in the South from this
country7''
mo, because we have great hope
that Congress will enact another bill
for our protection. We also expect
that plank will be put in the Re
publican platform in June next that |
will bring the matter squarely before |
the people,
"What do you think will be the
future of your racer"
"Weare not dying out as predicted.
The negro is the junior race of the |
world with the possible exception of
W. haun i