The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-07-03
HOW THE COM ISSION
STANDS IN GEORGIA.
30 per cent of the People in favor
of tilt Saves the People
More Than it Costs and
Prevents Social Equality.


ten by John S. Chandler Of
Atlanta, Ga, to a citizen of this
county in answer 10 a letter of
enquiry abOnt the workings of
the commission of that State
Who is John S. Chandler? He
is solicitor General of a circuit
court of Georgia and was a dele
gate from that State to the
General Quadrennial NJ. f..
Conference tha: met in st. Louis
a few weeks since. Read what
lie says:
Dear Sir, your letter to hand,
and in answer to your first
question will say: That the
Railroad Commission of Georgia
is dedrer and more r.tludb.e to Mt
people than any other department o.
our State Gorernme,d.
The General Assembly of
Georgia by virtue of a mandate
Of the Constitution Of 1877 OF
tue State, created a railroad
commission in 1878. The peo-
pie demanded it, the railroads fought
1t. They by their paid lobbyists
and attorneys sought to defeat
the bill, before the General
Assembly. After its passage
they fought it in the courts
carrying their numerous cases,
to the United States Supreme
court. In all these fights, the
people won. ANhe eriIs prophesi-
ed in North Carolina were fore.
told in Georgia, they all moved
imaginary. They said every
road in Georgia would be ruined
instead, every one has improved
There were more railroads
built in Georgia in 1859
than in any State east of the
Mississippi river. They tried
to cripple the commission by
amending the bill in succeeding
4.e2 islatures, until now, no Inan
aspires for Legislative honors
in Georgia without declaring
himself to be in opposition 10
any effort that may be made to
cripple the commission, other
wise he never gets there.
Ninety per cent Of the people of
Georgia are in sympathy with
the commission, its objects and
aims, and any man who would.
seek to injure it would get bu
one Legislative opportunity.
Instead of bringing Or tending
to bring on the evils of social
negro equality, it has etectuaNy
erected barriers to it in railroad
travel that can never be broken
down or "burned away" The
negroes ride in separate cars
furnished for them by order Of
the railroad commission. They
have separate waiting rooms
and other like Accommodations,
and [ have known but two or
three cases where there has
been any attempt to break
down this rule by negroes and
they we're promptly suppressed
and made to ride in their own
car. They complained to the
commission who decided that
the railroad that had furnished
equal and separate accommoda.
tions for each race had complied
with the law, and that was the
end of it. There is no mixing
in Georgia, (bnt only one week
ago [ rode in a ladies car from
Salisbury to Greensboro in
your State with two negro men
in as good seats as there was
in the carr Our people as we'll
as the railroads are now pleased
with the law and as long as II
is executed ny as good and able
men as control it, now, it isnbt
apt to be changed. One lawFeY]
one farmer, one practical r8n
road man compose our com dis;
sion, by the terms of the bill, II
your people pass the law, and
put it in the hands OF upright
competent men and your courts
uphold them. You need haYe
no fears of the purely false and
imaginary dangers stated by
your railroad Senator. / have
heard them talk that way nbe
| fore, but there is not money
enough in the hands of the
West Point Terminal Company
to pay a man who Seeks po9i
tion in Georgia to say such
things down here now.
By writing to A. G. Briscol
Secretary Of the railroad com
| mission, Atlanta, Ca, [ thinf
you can get a copy of the law
| Hoping to hear from you agaH
| and at any time that [ Cal
serve you.
am yours, sincerely,
JOHN S CHANDLER.