Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-03-23


The cosored men Of Ksntrcky
have been holdieg ss Lsxlngsan
c0nrenfion sid 20 be the sbsest con-
xertI8u Of rbe Eliared race that has
yst assemhieas 10 the State The pro
ceedsngs we're orderly and hxrmoni-
ous. and the convention il believed
10 represens fairly the colored eiti-
zens Of Kentucky The resolutions
and the address adopted sre lister
estsug a . statement Of the Eriev-
ances Of which the celnred pcoPle In
Kentucky. asd 10 . greater OF less
exteut 10 other e0uthefn states, c<rm-
plain The convention retittoned
the state Legislature not for social
rights, but for the removal Of cer-
fsir DETERMINATIONS Agsinst the coi-
ored people. The resolutions ask
Tor the removal Of the discfimins-
tioas ia law kgainst the organisation
Of negro militia companies, and in
fsct sgsinsi coaored jnrors. for nor
nal and other schools for colorcd
pupils, the erection OF ell school
houses out of . common fund. and .
system Of compulsory education.
snd for the passage Of stringent laws
against mob Law aud against dfscri-
nination BY Kentucky railroads
I'VE are charged 6rstclass fare.
says the resolution against discrimi-
nation By the railroads, and re-
fused arst-clsss accommodations. aud
in many cases our mothers and wives
and daughters are forced 10 ride in
smoking cars and sometimes on the
platform. with 40 apparent redress. "
Til Is certainly serious injustice
and ought 10 be rcmedied. II Il Is
thought undesirable 10 allow the
colored people In the same cars with
the whites. II Il none the less unfair.
and even dishonest, 10 charge the
same price for good and for bad &C
commodafioas. The discrimination
against colored jurors, II II exists,
can scarcely be remedied by law
Tue Judges and Sheriff probably
represent public sentiment Ia Ken
lucky on this poiRt. Still, the dis
crimlustion Is one not likely to be
permanent. There viii be strong
prejudice against the drawing of col
ored jurors. al least In important
civil cases. rs long as the coIored
people are more ignorant than the
whites. Education and the acquire.
meni Of property will doubtless do
much to remove this prejudice. In
criminal cases. certainly. the negro
jurymaa in some other Southern
states errs on the side Of justice.
As TO education, at least for ele-
mentary education. the colored PEG
pie Of Kentucky cannot ask for too
much Of ii. and normal schools are
necessary ia order that the supply of
competent colored teachers may be
increased. But 1t should be remem-
bered that the white people have rs
yet to pay most u the cost OF educa.
ton for both races. For their own
interest. however. the white people OF
Kentucky cannot afford to be back
ward in giving the colored people
sufficient educational facilities. Ii 10
cheaper 10 pay for education than for
pauperism, crime and social deterior
alton.
The distrust of colored militia com.
panies is survival Of the old South.
. lingering fear OF instruction and
social disruption. In the new order
OF things 1t has no place. As for
lynch law, We must remind our col
ored friends that there ID no great
discrimination about that. IHdeed,
the trouble with IL Is that II Is not
discriminating al all. Plenty OF
white men are lynched every year.
and the growth OF public opinion
against this barbarous practice is rs
slow IN the farther West as In the
South.
Ga the whole, serious as are some
Of the grievances OF which the color
ed kentuckians complain, they are
by no means rs great as might be ex-
pected among race enfranchised
without preparation and living
among It's old masters. A perpetual
and weary struggle awaits them still,
3 struggle which will prove all the
qualities of the race. But the strag-
gle Is not only not hopeless, II Is even
most hopeful, And this Lexington
convention. with its avoidance of
passionate defamation, its sobriety
and order. its calm statement OF
| grievances, its assistance Hpon econ
omy. education temperance. the &C.
emulation Of property. self.reliance.
Is another assuring sign. The
day, says the address of the CONVEX,
ton 10 the colored people of Ken
lucky. lin which you shall stand
clothed In the full garment of citi-
zenship may be fastened by posi-
tive aud prudent course on your part.
The working out of your salvation is
committed to your hands. "-Phila-
delphia Times.