The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1892-01-30
Not So Funny. Either

ST. PAUL, Jan. 16.-To the Editor: The
following comment appeared in the Pho
NEER PRESS a Jew days ago:
A coored barber at Philadelphia has refused
70 shave DR.. j. ohm Thompson, coored, formerly
United States minister to San Domingo, because
he ran a shop Tor "white gentlemen only" Here
would be chance for as funny civil rights suit
eer the sun ShOne on.
All of which only proves that there are
as pitiable EDWARDS among black people as
among white. Being black, coffee. co lored
or simply cream colored does not insure
one against the ills-mental or moral
which atH ct white humanity.
|; colored BARRIERS who run shops for
white gentlemen only" refuse to shave
colored men. it is because "white gentle
men" insist that it shall be so as the price
Of their patronage; then-as is usually the
case-the ln>uited black man, whose bread
ard butter hangs upon his compliance
with the degrading demand, has to bear che
opprobrium OF the whole business while
as matter OF TACT he is guilty Of nothing
bu. moral cowardice. ! any one doubts
this statement. let him ask his colored bar.
Der why no colorea man IS ever seen among
his patrOns-nOt even his own father or
brother. Is this because he objects to them
on the score or color? No! And no white
man believes it to be so; but he affects to
believe it, thus adding insult to injury.
The truth is. white men-the better (?)
| cla>s-object to patronizing shops that &C.
commodate colored men, no matter whether
the proprietors be white or black. The col
ored proprietor knows this; so do his COL
| ored friends They do not think it neces-
sary to apply and be refused on the score
that the shop is run Tor white gen.
| tlemen only" They know in advance that
such is the case and have enough mpassion
| for their friends unfortunate predicament
! to refrain from pressing their Improbable.
hence unwelcome, patronage upon him;
! nor is insiStence upon his laval rights
reasonably justhable under the circam-
stances, except in cases Of extreme neces-
sity. such as probably existed in the case Of
ex. Minister DR.. Thompson.
| When professional man, whose time is
money, has to walk one or two miles. per-
hap>; pass the doors of a dozen shops
! whose proprietors may be colored men, in
search or one which white gentleman do
not frequent Exclusively" then he has a
| mora as we'll as le-al right to insist that a
hate.ul prejudice shall yield to his neces-
sity.
White men claim that their objection to
patronizing shops where colored men are
accommodated is based upon a repugnance
to the physical contact in which it brings
them. Bah! No white man who COM
pacentIy reclines in the barber chair and is
lamiliarIy manipulated by the black,
brown or cream-coldred operator-sam-
plins his breath mcarwhiie-need talk
about ''physcal contact as being at the
bottom OF his prejudice. PHYSICAL moon
shine' The same man will object to COL
Ored man as guest at hotel, but accepts
him as waiter; objects to him in the same
railway coach Gn Tennessee) unless he. be
the porter; cannot endure him in the street
cars Tin NlrY inIa). but places his dainty
daughter beside him upon the carriage seat
ii he but Wear livery.
In iact to make long story short, white
men are 80 fond OF proclaiminy the in
feriority Of the colored race (ride Senator
lngilis), and in'eriurity which in case OF
individual members OF the race is not al
ways sufficiently obvious that it often be-
comes necessary to accentuate the differ
ence by some arbitrary ruling in order &c
makelt distinguishuble. AN imaginary
me" answers ali the purposes o. all
equator; why should not exclusion from
barber shops run for ''wiiite gentlemen
only" establish the in eriOrity of a race?
AS we have be ore intimateu: We con-
slider any cnlored man a coward who per
} mls any class OF Mrn to compel hi,n to IN
suit his owl, race-i we knew any stronger
eplt'et We would apply it to the men VINO
Orce HIM into such All attitude affecting
Inconsistencies meanwhile, and then cap
the climax by sadd.ing the Response billy
uron the shoulders of the victim.
We cannot say in such case, have the
courage OF your CONVICTIONS gentlemen;
but in the name Of consistency we impiore
you-have the cowarulce Of your pref
uulces. w. A. HAZEL.
The above appeared in The Phone
Press of the II inst, and as it contains *
many good points it is reproduced 70
the benefit If THE APPEAL readers
Comment is unnecessary as it speaks 70
itself. 10
j, To Old Mexico.
Are you going South this winter? OF,