Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-10-09
THE COLOR LINE.

The DEMOCRAT is glad Of the opportu-
nifty offered to publish the following let
ter, for two reasons. lst-It shows upon
what small groundwork reader will
sometimes build his objections to the
utterances Of the newspaper he reads,
and 2d-It affords an opportunity Of
proving our position to be correct, both
in premises and in TACT. In our issue OF
the 9TH instant, we said: "The selec-
ton of the city OF Richmond, Virginia, as
the place OF meeting for the Knights OF
Labor in annual convention, vas fraught
with more trouble to the Order than it
could well foresee, and is likely TO result
in damage to the work hoped to be
accomplished there. General Master
Workman Powdcrly made Il bad break
when he alluded to the equality Of all
men in the Order for the reason that
custom and precedent both, hold the
colored man aloOf from his white brethren
in all social intercourse, the line being
drawn even in places OF public amuse-
of societies and organizations, even to
the Masonic fraternity. Not all the bene-
its promised by IL thorough equipment
for working OF the Knights OF Labor in
the South can be equivalent to the deep
seated race prejudice held by the white
people Of the South against their colored
fellow citizens, and such keen mind as
that OF Powderly's should see that it is
idle for the X. of l.. to hope to do, what
only time and necessary intercourse can
bring about A negro couple on the floor
OF II ballroom, occupied by whites in
Richmond or any other city in the South,
would be the signal for most of the whites
to leave, and all the reasoning in the
book cannot change this condition of the
Southern mans feelings"
To this a correspondent in Alta answers
as follows
THE Knights of Labor or America are
men who have mutually agreed to uphold
the dignity of the American laborer, also
for the mutual benefit of its members, ire
speotive of color, and in the ranks of that
organization will be found business men,
classic scholars and ripe statesmen from
both our great national parties.
In regard to the Masonic fraternity, of
which your correspondent is a member
for over twenty years, would respectfully
inform the DEMOCRAT that there is no bar
rier in that ancient and honorable Order in
regard to color, creed or nationality.
think the General Assembly of the Knights
of Labor made a great mistake in calling
the convention now in session in the capital
of old Virginia, knowing the feelings of the
people of that city and State toward men of
color, and the General Assembly must have
known that large number of delegates
would be there from the South, and few
from the North.
L often wonder when will the American
people (white) and the press subdue their
and assist in the elevation of their
once down-trodden fellow-citizens, who have
been in all stages in the history or this
country true and faithful"
First, we would ask our correspondent
and our readers ii events since our arti-
;le was published, do not prove we were
right? Is there not serious trouble over
delegate Farrell, OF Assembly No. 40? |
Was it not necessary for him to forego
his rights in order to avoid more trouble ? !
The answer to these questions is, yes The
DEMOCRAT in subsequent article stated |
hat any sane man knew Farrell had the |
light to 60 into the theatre, but was it |
,olitic for him to do 50, considering that
lis action would menace the success of
he Order in their convention? Second
We would say to our correspondent
hat the color line is drawn, and tightly
90, in the T. and A. NJ. fraternity, and
le must know it to be so. The position OF
he DEMOCRAT on the Knights OF Labor
)rder is and always has been one OF help
nd countenance to them (ride our regular
,sne in the pasD and it was our solicit
us feeling for the Order which caused us
0 write Of the mistakes made, hoping to
ave them avoided in the future.
ireater undertakings than the *. of L.
ave split upon the color-line rock, and
D might the X. OF L. also, il it pressed
ne point. To our correspondents last
uestion we answer: When time shall
ave killed the natural feelings born in
he blood OF Southern men, then can his
'ish be granted in the South, and not
III then.