Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-09-01
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER /. 1892.
A Warning TO tho Negroes.

The negroes OF Richmond have recently
been doing rather too much to make their
company disagreoable 10 the whites. In
the public parks and the street-cars they
appear 10 make special efforts to impress
upon the minds OF their white felIow-citi-
zens their opinion that one man is as good
as another. and better. too. II only he is a
negro. Our remark Is not of universal APP
plication. for some OF the old issue" are
as considerate as ever. and not at all in
clined 10 force their company upon tho
whites IL is not uncommon now, how
ever. as we have said. for one OF the
colored "smart ALEcKs" 10 take particu-
lar pains to do all that he can to render
his company in the parks or in the cars
undesirable TO the whites.
Recently the question Of placing white
teachers In the colored schools Of this city
came up in the proper place for considera-
ton. There was little or no public discus
sion of the proposition. We RETAINED
from writing upon the subject at oil, being
willing to leave its consideration to the
School Board. An article or two appeared
in the papers rather opposing than favor
ing the proposition, and, after a vote was
had upon the subject it was per-
mitted to drop. But we are not
sure but the proposition will yet have
10 be adopted. 1t is not pleasant for white
ladies to be crowded out of the seats in
the public parks and in the street-cars by
colored teachers clothed in purple and
fine linen" bought by the colored school
teachers with money which might more
properly have gone into the pockets of
white young ladies' and supplied them, in
stead of the negro teachers, with that
goodly apparel which every white lady is
presumed TO wish to appear in whenever
she promensdes in the streets. or in the
parks, or rides in the street-cars. Not to
be able TO purchase such apparel is bad
enough, but to be crowded out of their
seats in the public oonveyances and the
public parks by negro teachers wearing
this apparel q. the expense of all the
white taxpayers however poor, is not
pleasant experience to the whites, male or
female.
Our attention was called 10 this matter
by the written opinion given TO the Coun-
oil Committee on Buildings and Grounds
at their meeting on Tuesday night by
CHARLrsv. MEREDITH, Esq. City Attorney,
Sn which opinion he was clear that the
Council had the power and the right to
sprovide separate benches for the whites
and the blacks in the parks of this city.
Dir. MERIDITR wrote as follows:
Gentlemen, I'm reply 10 your inquiry whether
Che Council has power 70 sot apart and desig-
nate certain benches in its public parks for
white and colored persons respectively, am Of
oplnIon that the Council has such power. In ex-
erclslng such power the Council must give equal
accommodations to both races. Separation is
snot regarded as unlawful discrimination, pro-
Sided there is an equality In treatment This
sprincipIe has been recognized in number OF
eases involving separate cars and separate
schools"
Clearly Mr.. MEREDITH is right. And if the
negroes persist in trying to monopolize the
seats in the parks. then they may be sure
that they will be the losers. They ought
10 have sense enough 70 know thet the
whites pay for the parks, for the negro
schools. and for whatever is done to ele-
Nate the pupils IN the negro schools. and
chat the patience of the WHITES cannot be
expected TO hold out much longer. Sepa-
ration is not regarded by the courts as un-
lawful discrimination, provided there is
an equality in treatment. says the City At
torney and this separation must come be-
fore long If the negroes continue to drive
the whites from the public parks OF this
city.