The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1890-05-10
o. s. MARSHAL RANSDELL
SAYINGS ABOUT TOWN.
I'm Washington Daily POst)


brought before the courts of the District
OF Columbia are negroes" said Marshal
Ransdell, ''and every day have ocular
demonstration OF the proof Of this as
sertion. Let any one go to the City Hall
any day in the week when trial Is ON
hand and the chances are that cOlored
criminal will be found at the bar"
There are various reasons why
30 many colored criminals, and
colored people or Negroes are re-
corded in the courts of this city.
Mr.. Marshal Ransdell in bis in-
terview makes a sweeping state
ment, the sort that by not beng
qualified, leaves a very bad inn
preston. We do not believe, tor
q moment, it was the intention of
the Marshal, wneu be gave his
views to the news gatherer, to
intentionally stab our people gen.
srslly, but it should be borne in
mind, by public men that when
they speak of the "Negro race"
common justice suggests that their
remarks be clarified and qualified.
We contend that the police force
of this city, are in the main re-
sponsible for such, in fact for
large smount Of the "vagabon-
ism" and "cussedness" that pre-
vail with the lower, degraded,
vicious, or criminal classes of our
black population. To come di-
rect to the roint we have not
practical men enough on the force;
it is made up men discharged
from the army, navy, and marine
corps, and in many instances, of
men who have not been In the
United States long enough, or
rather they have not had an op-
portunity to learn tie common
laws of the country. The great
mass of the police force are slran-
gers to this community, but BY
virtue of their former teachings
and natural incllnations they have,
as a general tale, one feature of an
education that has certainly not
been neglected and that is their
hatred to the race and of the Ne
gro. Then again, let it be told
aloud and heard among men, that
the doors OF all institutions to "re-
form and save, are turned against
the race in his city; he is made
to feel 81 am an out cast and ev-
cry while hand is against me-"
He, the colored man of the low
er walks of life and the woman,
are brought into contact day by
day with the prejudice that pre-
walls iu the police, they see their
own color grabbed and ruined in
for trifn ng and minor matters,
and on the other hand they see
the white boy and women of the
lower classes, doing these same
things and the policemen "blind."
The colored people who are of the
lower or middle classes are made
to feel the race prejudice by the
very actions of the police force,
and it is but natural that they hate
each other, What is wanted more
than any other one thing, to put
stop TO much of the "cussedness'
that prevails in this city, is po-
lice force made up of practical cit
izens of the community. The
W should be amended so that
this city should be patrolled by
citizens and not discharged SOL
diers and sailors and marines, aud
in many instances as it is today
by men whose ouly claim to the
position is that the law which was
created 10 suit the situation of our
Voluntees 1862 to 1865, has not
been changed or amended and
consequently those of the regular
army and navy no0 iu time of
peace are eligible.
We ask any intelligent man is
there any just reason that can be
advanced why a distinctive law of
favor enacted for the benefit of
volunteers" should remain in
force for the benefit of "regulars?"
In times ofpesce what claims to
special favor aud extra considera-
tions of the general public, have
soldiers and marines?
In this or any other county In
times of peace, what class Of men
constitute the regular service?
If persons desired to be fair will
think over this matter, the an
swer will be plain to them, that
the police force of this city is iu-
imical by the very nature of
things to one portion of our pop
ulation. We recognize the fact
that there is much crime among a
certain class here, we also hold