The crusader., 1890-07-19
THE SEPARATE CAR BILL.


A brief retrospective view of the
immediate proceedings that brought
about this consummation is not out
of place.
The CRUSADER was the first to raise
it's voice against the enactment of
this iniqnitous piece of legislation.
The American Citizens Equal Rights
Association took up the cudgel in
defense of the right at the
first opportunity. A manly protest,
which has been published in this pa
per, was prepared against the enact
ment of the unjust law, ,and, with the
assistance of publio-spirited citizens,
delegation was sent TO Baton Rouge
10 present it to t he Legislature.
The actions of these delegates are
known to the public. They secured
a recommitment of the bill, which
had bsen reported favorably to the
House,to the Committee OH Railroads
and had hearing before that commit
tee. A ma ajority was apparently disin-
ciined to make favorable report, but
had not the courage to make an adverse
one. The House forced report and &C
cepted that OF the minority as the re-
port Of the majority. The bill was
put through the House and ssnt to
the Senate. There after considerable
delay, it was brought to q vote and
failed to pass. A motion was made
70 reconsider this vote, pending
which we sent tel egra NJ
to Senator Dsmas, that it was the
wish OF the colored population that
the colored Senators withheld their
vote on the passage of the Lottery
bill over the Governors veto until
the car bill was killed. Senator 81.
Demss has since told us that il he
had had the opportunity he would
have done 80. But the death OF Son
ator Smith prevented the vote over
the veto, and the Car bill passed the
Senate with a slight amendment.
Before the House had time to CON-
cur we wired the Chief Executive OF
the State
| New Orleans, July 10, 1890.
Gov F. T Nichols, Baton Rouge:
Governor, thousands good and true men pc
| tltion you to veto separate car bill.
L. A. MARTINEZ.
Gov. Nichols paid no heed to this
telegram. That night, before ad-
journment sine die, he returned the
bill to the House with his approval.
There are good reasons for believing
that had the colored members divided
on the Lottery question his course
would have been different. It is un-
fair to punish people because Of
the act of few, who sometimes mis-
represent them.
W. have made this statement, to
place all the facts connected with the
enactment of this iniquitous law
before our readers. We are not try
ing to place the responsibility on the
shoulders of any one. That must
rest on the majority, in guiding our
future action. They had the power
to pass or not to pass the law, and
they passed it. Moreover, the mi.
nority made no promises, while the
majority, if the colored legislators
are to be believed, promised that
the bill would never become q law.
They did not keep faith. They be-
trayed the trust placed in them.
Moreover, the Lottery's official or
gan, The Times-Democrat, was the
most loudmouthed advocate of the
measure. Let us remember this.
Senator Murphy j. Foster is re-
ported as having said that il the col
ored Senators had stood with his side
As firmly against the Lottery as they
stood by it, he would hava suffered
his body to be cut in pieces before he
allowed the Infamous Car bill to 60
through. II Senator Foster has said
so he meant it. But the Senator
had no right to inhict a grievous
wrong on the colored population OF
the State 5ecause few colored Sen
tors voted with majority of the
white Senators, even if, in imitation
OF their white colleagues, they did
60 for consideration" The col.
ored people of st. Mary have espe.
cially been kind to Senator Foster,
and if his sense of justice is not de-
veloped sufficiently to induce him to
>do the right ior Justices sake, he
ought at least TO have been grateful
to those who have been 80 kind to
him.
1t Is now seen that the only safe |
course TO have defeated the bill VA,
the one poin ed out by The CRUSADER
that the colored members RETAINED
from voting on the Lottery PROPOSE
tlcn until the Car bill was dead.
The LOTTERY bill could not have
passed without their votes they
were completely masters OF the sit
uation. The opportunity to kill the
bill was splendid especially whom it
came up 10 the House of Represent
~ Il