The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-14
The Baxlev Affair.


fists. in session at Indianapolis, has taken
notice of the forcible election from the
white peoples car at Baxley. Ga, Dy citi-
zens of mat place, of Rev Z. K Love, of
this city, and other c1!)red men, who were
on their way to attend the meeting of the
association. The resolutions adopted by
the ass citation are very mild ONES, bu- they
will not be without their effect. Thew viii
be read in all parts Of the south nd will
tend to push the whites and the blacks
1 further apart.
We do not think that the assault upon the
black men at Bailey was general v app owed.
1t IS true that he blacks ought not To have
invited the assault by occupying places IN
| the car set apart for the whites They
knew the regula ions Of the railroad COM
pany, and they also knew that they we're
defying public sentiment. They took the
risk Of being insulted and assaulted, and
for that reason pr obably there is not great
deal of sympathy for them.
The white men who assaulted them, how =
ever, had no rig It to do So As far as
known the railroad company did not ask
them TO assist in forcing the black men out
OF the car. The impression is that they
undertook TO enforce the rules of the rail
road company without authority from y
body. What business was it of theirs to
interfere in the affairs Of the railroad com
pany! The company had conductor and
tralnmen who were able to enforce its
regulations if il had wanted them enforced.
There is one thing hat must be settled in
this state 1t is this: II railroad com
panies accept irst-class fares fro black
people they must give them irst-class ac-
oommodations, 1t is an outrage on the
blacks to sell them first-class tickets and
then compel them to accept inferior accom-
modations Some of the blacks who travel
on the railroads are clean and well dressed
and conduct themselves properly. There
are others who are 50 dirty and
boisterous that they ought not to be
admitted to the presence of decent people,
black or white. 1t is unjust to clean
aud well-behaved blacks to force them into
cars with those who are not so, especially
when they pay for the best accommoda-
tions.
We do not believe in taking down any of
the barriers between the races, nor in ac-
cording to the bl lcks any privileges which
law does not give them, or their moral and
tellectual progress does not entitle them
to, but we insist that they shall be dealt
with justly and fairly. We insist upon
this not only because 1t is right, but also be-
cause it is to the interest of the whole south
that they shall be so dealt with. The blacks
are In the south TO stay. and their number
is steadily increasing. The south's pros
perity requires that there shall be peace
AID good will between the two races. In
order that there shall be such a conditi n of
affairs it Is absolutely necessary that the
stronger race shall respect the rights of the
weaker one.
Between the individual white man and
the individual black one the most friendly
feeling exists. White employers seldom
ave trouble with tneir black employees.
Between the races, however, there is some
friction The blacks are disposed TO bs az
eressive and demand more privileges Than
they are entitled to. The whites resent this
aggressiveness, and, hence, there are occa-
sional troubles.
But the troubles would be few and far
between if the arranging of the relati ms
between the races were entrusted wholly TO
linking, conservative men-men who have
large Interests and who know the value Of
peace and order ina commun V. Uufortu-
ma ely the advice of such men is not al ways
listened to. A few irresponsible hot heads
undertake to settle race Iestions in accord
ance with their own notions, as was tae
case in Fulton county a week or so ago.
The result of the r lnterference is worse
condition o. affairs than previously ex-
listed. They arouse feeling that pushes
the races farther apart and sooner or late
shows itself in disorders of a serious
Character.
The masses of the blacks are ignorant.
densel ignorant, q d they have the passi ms
and prejudices which accompa nv ignorance.
Some all vance, therefore, must be made for
them on that account. AT most they are
only grown-up children. The whites must
deal with them as such. At times it NAV
be necessary to use harsh measures in deal
ing wi them, but those who know them
best and cave the most to do with them
find that they respo4d readily to just treat
ment.
There are those among them who are all
the time doing some hing to prov Ike
trouble. They must be dealt with by
legally constituted authorities. If persons
not authorized to administer or execute the
laws are pc mitted to di ect them n, to
their conduct, we shall soon have deplor-
able condition of affairs