The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1892-02-27

prosed law, are not asking for social
equality but for equal rights. They are
simply asking for that which belongs
to them as law-abiding citizens. They
could not ask less. Railway trains are
public carriers, and are for rapid tran
sit from place to place. Railroads are
public thoroughfares, and are for the
| convenience of the people. The first
class man who pays first fare should
have first-class accommodation, and
should be allowed to ride where he
pleases. He pays his money; he
should have his choice of place.
One hundred cents in the hands
of a black man are as good as one
dollar in the hands of a white man.
A colored man who respects himself
is as good as the white man who does
the same. He should not be COMPEL.
ed to wear the badge Of inequality.
"a mans man for a. that" The
true scale of recognition should be
not color but character.
The colored man does not ask or
seek social equality with his white
brother. Riding in the same car were
the white man makes him no more his
social peer than does walking on the
same street or trading at the same
counter. This cry of social equality
is the sheerest nonsense. All that
the negro asks is that he be not I'M
justly disseminated against. There
are good and bad in all races, and
the bars be drawn. That badness
exists is to be regretted by all, re
CARELESS of race. But the innocent
oh or ohA.,llan Ln
ties of the guilty. To such as may
favor the law, on the narrow plea that
"this is the white mans country" it
might be well to here gently remark
that one year before the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth Rock, black men
were treading the plains, valleys and
hill tops Of old Virginia. The negro
has contributed his full share to the
development of our common coun-
try.
What has the negro done that he
should be so unjustly treated? Has
he ever been untrue to this grand
old Commonwealth? Has he ever
faltered in his devotion to his coun-
try's flag? Has he ever betrayed con-
fidence or broken plighted faith?
Must he be constantly looked upon
with contempt and as an inferior?
His inheritance has been hard
without seeking to make it
more rugged. AS race we desire
better treatment. .Colored men have
always been true. The sky Of our
country's history is studded all over
with the achievements of black men.
They fell in defense of our country
from British oppression.
When the stars and stripes have
been fired upon they have defended |
them with patriotism and valor. On
land and on sea, in peace and in war,
amid sunlight and shadow, they have |
never wavered in their devotion to |
duty. With gentility, with honor,
with spirit to forgive and forget"
they have borne the wrongs of slave
ry and its direful, damnable effects. |
They now ask to be given a fair and |
equal chance to redeem that which |
nearly two and one-half centuries of
oppression has taken from them.
They seek to ascend the hill of pro-
gress. They ask to be treated with |
Justice. They ask that no obstacle be |
placed in their way for advancement.
have they suffered enough.
Can the fair State of Kentucky
famous for her Clays, her Crittendens,
her Observation-Disclosures for the pro-
gress she has made by the side of her
sister States, can she afford to turn
,he wheels of progress backward, and
forever blacken her fair name by so
unjust law? Can she blind her ewes
10 the march of progress or fail to
Keep step to the music of the rights
Of mankind? Is it right to refuse the
land of assistance to the struggling
)r to strike blow at those who are
seeking to rise?
Scotland's brilliant bard has truth
ully said: "Man's inhumanity to
nan makes countless thousands
MOURN" Let not the lawmakers of
'ur beloved Commonwealth be guilty
# inflicting law so desperately i'm
,olitic and so glaringly inhumane.
e. h. UNDERWOOD, Nj. ID.