St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-18
House of Representatives.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE committee on
public buildings reported bill extending TO
S245, 900 the limit for the appropriation for
the construction of a public building at
Peoria, Ill.
In the committee Of the whole, Mr.. Skinner
Of New York, introduced bill for regulating
and classifying the salaries Of clerks in all
first class post-ofllces; seferred,
The house then resumed the consideration
Of the interstate commerce bill, the pending
question being on the motion TO table the
motion to reconsider the vote by which the
house yesterday adopted an amendment Of
fered by Mr.. o'Hara, providing that any per-
son having purchased ticket 10 be conveyed
from one state TO another state shall receive
the same treatment and be afforded the same
facilities as those furnished any
other person holding a ticket Of the
same class without discrimination. The
motion TO reconsider was tabled; yeas, 149;
NAYS, 129.
Mr.. Crisp offered an amendment provid-
ing that nothing in this act shall be so con-
strued as to prevent any railroad company
from providing separate accommodations for
white and colored persons. II adopted the
whole provision would mean exactly what the
amendment of the gentleman from North
Carolina (o'Hara) would mean, without the
words without discrimination" These
words had been inserted simply for the pur-
pose of making the amendment odious and
exciting political prejudice. He objected
10 any law which requires common carriers to
put colored and white people in the same
car. What was proper was to give them
equal accommodations in separate cars.
There was no disposition on the part of
southern Democrats TO deny that all men
without regard to race, color or previous
condition, we're entitled to equal facilities
and equal accommodations while travelling
on the same class tickets as other men.
Mr.. O'Hara regretted that the color ques-
ton had arisen in this debate. He held, no
matter whether a man was black or white he
was an American citizen and the egis Of
a great republic ought to be spread
over him. The public sentiment
and progress Of the nineteenth century
stared congress in the face, and it was too
late for congress TO legislste on the question
Of color. His amendment appealed to the
good sense and patriotism Of congress. All
it asked was that when the house was pro-
tecting the property of men aud protecting
dumb brutes 1t should give voice and ex-
preston to the protection of all American
citizens. lApplause on the Republican side.
He did not believe there was 4 single rail-
road in the land which desired Foster any
discrimination.
Mr.. Breckenridge offered as a substitute
for Mr.. Crisp's amendment an amendment
providing that nothing in this act shall be
construed TO deny the railroads the right TO pro-
vide separate accom- mmodations for passengers
as they may deem best for public comfort
OF safety, and that nothing in the act shall
be understood as relating to transportation
between points wholly within the limits of
one state. Mr.. Breckenridge said he did not
wish to see the rights OF the colered man
limited or restricted in the slightest degree.
One objection he had TO the amendment OF
the gentleman from Georgia Crisp was it
spoke Of colored people as contraband, dis
tinguished from white people. The gentle
men were mistaken IL they thought the
southern people wished to abridge the rights
of the colored man under the law. But If
congress prevented asserting passengers
from the standpoint of public convenience
into q commercial question.
Mr.. Reed ironically expressed his pleasure
at seeing the question changed from one of
color into one OF assortment The house,
which had determined to pursue these robber
barons, had before it the plain question
whether il would BY an enactment confer
upon these same barons the privilege
Of asserting their passengers. Ger
tainly,'- some treasury regulations must
be ados I'D as to the method of the assortment.
Laughter on the Republican side Were
men 70 be assorted on the ground OF size or
on moustaehe ground or on beard basis.
Laughter. He objected to having these
robber barons assort passengers on any fanci
full cars they might undertake to set up.
Laughterl-
Mr.. Reagan said the gentleman from
Maine (Reed,l might make him say things
humorous about assortment but the fact re-
NAMED il was the custom OF railroad conduc-
tons TO assort passengers in Maine, and
everywhere else II the gentleman from
Maine went to q train unaccompanied by a