Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-10-12
TUESDAY oCTOBKK IL. 1856.
The Richmond Color Line.

D -
Of the whites against the blacks that
sttii exists in typical Southern city
Ike Richmond the meeting will not
fail Of having accom- plished . good pur.
pose. Il shows that Ut heart there IL
the same hatred to labor that has
always existed ON the part OF the ex-
Shareholders. The insinccrisy OF the
professions OF good will towards the
negro race that have come up from the
Southern bluebloods Of the South, has
been thoroughly exposed by the little
episode Of . colored brother being
amongst the representatives OF the
knights Of Labor and Of having been
accorded . station OF honor commensu-
rate with bis abilities a. . man.
V!rginia's hospitality has been tested
and strained to the utmost 1. has
been shown only to extend to the more
favored Of the white racs, and TO them
only % far as they can be used 70 build
up and foster az Aristo:rAcy OF caste
But what Is this spectacle which we
see down at Richm 1nd that has thrown
the Southern Bouroons into such a
phrensy OF excitement, yes, worse than
tha', Of anger?
Here are some seven hundred OF the
representative labor element OF the
country met together TO consult in re-
g ard to their future success. Their Do
jest Is TO elevate labor shd TO make II
as respectable Is banking, merchandlz-
ing and manufacturing. Had these
representatives been all white men the
we'c6 me Of the Knights to Richmond
70 aid hAve.been an ovation. Virginia's
Governor, . scion OF the old aristocrAtic
Los family, saw the opportunity Of
m aking grand oratoricsl display in
welcoming the Knights 10 the capital
OF the ex -Confe derscy, the corner stone
OF which was 70 have been slavery, and
to the capital Of the State known as the
m other OF our first President. :.
Amongst these labor delegates were the
Saxon, the Celt ard the Teuton. These
cJuid all be endured, because their
skins were white, bat when the black
man Farrell, ~ trae . representative OF
labor rs his white brother n, was pot
forward 70 introduce bis white brother
Grand Master Workman Powderly TO
the Governor, the resentment and con-
ceAled hatred OF the Southern whites TO
the emancipated slaves, was stirred to It's
utmost depths. The response Of Mr..
PoEderly 70 Governor Lees address OF
welcome rang out with as much peal
az eloquence IS did the words Of Gov
ernor Lee, but the charm was gone.
The Governors speech was bat the
frothy sentiment Of the political dema-
gogue who only pretended TO respect
labor for the few votes the occasion
might bring TO the dominant party OF
the South that sets enthroned upon a
mountain OF fraud and violence. The
colored man amongst the knights IS q
representative OF labor spoke louder
than the silyery, but insincere ring Of
the Virginia politician.
But what are we 70 conclude when
we see the hubbub the appearance Of q
colored knight created amongst the
representatives Of labor? This colored
man Farrell is not only delegate, bat
only think Of 1t, he goes with his white
brethren 10 the same hotel in Richmond,
yes, in the very heart OF the effe.s and
exploded Southern Contederacy. What
brazen impudenne! How can South.
ern b.ueblood stand that? 1. does no.
stand 1t.
Farrell Is told that his skin 10 black,
that he Is an inferior being, that he
cannot drink mint julips over the same
bar with his white brother, that he
must seek another place for his domi-
Gle during his brief sojourn In Rich
mond. The constancy of the white
knights to their colo-ed brother must
be admired, as they filed out in body
after him and shook off the dust of that
hotel from their fee. The cause of one
ANONYMOUSLY treated became the cause
of all. But what m ust have been the
feelings OF the Bourbons when, on the
next night, Farrell is seen seated with
his white brethren in the front rows OF
orchestra chairs In the theatre? Fortu.
nately none OF them knew he was there
until near the close OF the perform
ance. Then came ominous SEQ Wis and
threats. A Virginia theatre had been
invaded by black man Virginia
honor had been insulted The Virginia
Bourbon press rang out with dire In.
situations and threats II such q thing
occurred again. Mayor Darlington ID
applied TO for squad OF police to pre-
ssrve the peace II Farrell should pre-
sent himself again for admission to the
theatre. But the excitement grew &c
s1ch height that even the whole force
OF police in the city was not deemed
sufficient to preserve the peace.
Though slavery had disappeared In
name. the attempt Of Farrell to entel
that theatre again as an American citl
zen would no doubt have led TO riot
and bloodshed. Under these circum-
stances Grand Master Workman Pow
derby is applied to and asked to use his
influence to stay the increasing excite
ment. This he did, and the whole Ne
York delegation, with their colored
brother, remained away.
1t Is fortunate NOT only for the
knights OF Labor, but for the country
In general, that this episode occurred,
as the iDflsxible duty of the knights il
plainly mapped out. Labor cannot be
elevated while the laborer is kept In
degradation. The question Of colored
labor In the South comes up, then, al
one OF the leading thoughts Of the con.
vention. 1t has been shown that where
wages between white and colored Ia.
borers In the South Is equal the colsred
mau can save one-four:h Of his, while
the white man can scarcely get suffi.
Client to hold soul and body together.
This difference Is said to arise from the
fact that colored labor is satisfied with
humble living, while white labor i,
more pretentious and must spend more
for rents and lux uries. There Is more
deep down In this situation, than wha
appears upon the surface. The coloret
man living In noorar hnnaas and han