Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-12
" JIM CROW CARS
THE SOUTHERN NEGRO IN JIM
CROW CARS,
And How to Get Him Out-Interest-
ing Interview With Prof Price,
of North Carolina.

ing Interview With Prof Price,
of North Carolina.
Professor J. C. Price, of North Carolina,
has been in the city some days in the inter-
est of an educational institute for colored
people in the South. He is full-blooded
negro, and man of splendid physique.
He has had liberal education, and is
man of native ability. He is an effective
public speaker and forcible reasoner, and
withal is of pleasing address and is uncom-
monty endowed with what is popularity
termed personal magnetism" In CONVEX
sation with representative of the RECORD
UNION, few days ago, some reference was
made to the
JIM CROW CARS
On some of the railroads of the South
The statements then made by Professor
Price led to a subsequent interview with
him, and the result is given below:
" Prof: Price, how long have you lived in
the South ?"
81 am now 81, and 1 was born and
brought up i'll the South, though educated
out of it.
You are, then, familiar with the condi-
ton of the freedmen there"
/ think | am | have been amonp
them ever since l was boy, NAV saw
and | have travelled extensively through
the South, as man."
Are you familiar with the thought of
the white people of the South regarding
the blacks among them ?"
81 think l am"
What, in truth, is the political freedom
of the negro citizen to-day in the South p"
CONDITION OF coLoRED VOTERS.
well, his practical condition as a voter
is one not favorable to the free exercise of
his political rights. In different parts of
the South this varies, however, in degree.
regarding the freedom he enjoys in this di-
rection. There are some States where we
can vote pretty freely, as in North Carolina
and Virginia, and where there is permitted
to us freedom of speech. But when it
comes to Mississippi, Georgia and South
Carolina, for instanCe-in some parts at
least-our guaranteed privileges under the
laws are greatly restricted. There is not
now the bloodshed there once was because
OF this Acknowledgement, but personal in
timidation remains as before"
Why is there. then. less personal out
rage and bloodshed?"
Because the freedmen in large part are
afraid to come to the polls or to assert their
rights at the ballot-box or on the stump"
Why should they be afraid? Does not
the law protect them ?"
FEARFUL VOTERS.
Because with the opposition, if such
attempts were made to vote freely, or to
tn 70 ho ~ !
the freedman encounters such resistance
and intolerance that his instincts to avoid
harm are quickened, and so he breads to
attempt to enforce or claim his rights"
What form does that opposition tske ?n
Well, intimidation. As by enforced
removal from lands he occupied as a ten
ant; If you persist in your right the oppo-
sition assumes more violent FORM
g Personal ASSAULT"
Y s, not infrequently. l refer now to
the old South p "
What do you mean by the old South ?'
l mean that portion of a community
that represents the intolerant spirit in pol
itics-the prejudiced spirit that is manifest
when it comes to claims of rights for the
negro; in short caste. In fact, the old
South believes in the doctrine that negroes
have no rights the white man is bound to
respect. They consider it wrong to be
taxed to give educational advantages to the
negro population, but they submit to it.
But there is liberal element in the South
that is rather inclined to hear our men, and
to give US freedom of speech and accord us
guaranteed rights under the Federal and
other laws. That element is increasing
numerically, and in strength, but it is very
slow growth, and that element is now
HoPELEssLY IN THE MINORITY,
Though ready to encourage educational
schemes in the interest of the freedmen
=" Is this element confined to the new
generation"
Well, no. There is some of the old and
some of the new, but it is mostly of the
new
Does intimidation take on any other
form ?"
" If negro takes prominent part in pol
ltics against the faith of the ruling party he
is reminded that other parts might be more
congenial for him. They look at it that
urging negroes to vote is aIraying the black
against the white. That, they hold, must
not be tolerated.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
What political party occupies that posi-
ton ?"
1.-THE Democratic party. In fact, no
other party really exists there, when it
comes to organized and effective FORMS"
How about the Republican party?'
INK its days are about numbered in
the South"
" Why so? That does not accord with
views of partisans here"
because the whites can't take any ac-
tive part for it, as they will be boyeotted
and ostracized in business and socially,
they and their families. AS to conven-
tons, w can meet and make ourselves felt,
nationally, at least; but as to voting, we
have little or no power at all in national
affairs. In some local affairs, we here and
there elect candidates not of the Demo-
cratic party, and we feel as political fac
tors
Do you mean, then, that the Southern
negro is going over to the Democratic
party?"
POLITICAL PARALYSIS.
No, sir. mean that the friends of the
negro are discouraged, and feel that they
can't put up with the punishment neces-
sary to remain his friend. The negroes be-
ing alone, and in the hands of the South
ern population, can't do much for them
selves
You surely do not look for indefinite
continuance of such state of affairs?"
Our only hope is on the line of increase
of intelligence among the masses. This
will bring an appreciation of their rights,
and the courage to demand them This
will be intensified by the marvellous in
crease of the colored population in the
South
1T increases disproportionately to that
of the whites? ?"
INCREASE OF BLACKS.
Yes. The blacks double every twenty
and the whites every thirty-five years.
Ignorance is weakness, and the weak are
most easily driven from a position by in
telligence. So think that the ignorance
of the colored voter in the South is the
great drawback to the Republican party"
lndustrially, what is the condition of
the colored people South?n
VERY encouraging