The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-07-03
|IHE NEGROES OF NEW YORK.
Civil Rights Law Affords Them lem
porary Relief,
What They Are Entitled to and What
They Receive Are Not Always the
Same. A New Law That Ag.
gravates Glass Distinction.
The Penalty

negroes by common carriers, hotel and
j Restaurant proprietors, saloon keepers,
3 Theatrical managers and all other pur-
z fveyots To the demands of the public
i THE bal was not signed by the governor
until near the close Of the 80 day limit
3 lit is known as the Malby law framed
by Charles ". Anderson, culored en-
lployee III the state treasurer's office
Z lwhp lives in New York city and is an
jactive politician among his own people
The. lew provides that all citizens with
3 i'm this state "shall be entitled to the
full and equal accommodations, advan-
3Itages, facilities and privileges of inns,
,restaurants, hotels, eating houses, bath
houses, barber shops, theaters, music
thalls, public oonvoyanccs on land and
water and all other places Of public ac-
Icommodation and amusement, subject
lonly to the conditions and limitations
Established by law and applicable alike
1 ITO AL citizens"
Violators Of the law arc liable to a
penalty of from 500 to $500 to be re-
j covered in any court of competent juris.
diction, the amount to be paid to the
person aggrieved Tho offcnse is declar-
led to BIO nisdemeanor, and the offend
Ter is hablo to n fine, in addition to tho
foregoing penalty, Of from 500 to $500,
Tor to Imprisonment from so TO 90 days,
Ter to both. Tho law is claimed TO be
demonstrations by the Hotel Men's as
sociation, and it is said they propose to
3 contest it,
Last Sunday, following the signing Of
fthe bin, Anderson and two friends of
his own color started out to test" tho
new law. They visited number of res
ltaurants and other places in New York,
Including Delmonioos and several other
Iresarts of fashion not frequented by col
ored people. They met with varied OK
lperiences. In the moro fashionable re-
isorts they were treated with courtesy,
land their visit was regarded rather in
the light of an amusing incident than
1 lotherwise, but in less prominent places
they were either refused service or were
treated with discourtesy. Their expert
I ience was, on tho whole, better than they
had anticipated. They were vol dressed
{ land are said to have conducted them
iselves properly.
Since then Anderson's example han
v lbeen followed by number of men Of
s ms color who have not acted with the
jdegree OF decenoy which he showed on
1 his tour. They have gone about among
Z tho less fashionable resorts and saloons,
: asserting themselves in manner which
would be objectionable and offensive
4 coming from any source, white or black
fThey seemed 20 be moro anxious for a
disturbance than for anything else and
+ Were disappointed when no disposition
( was shown to treat them in Il different
Y way from that i'll which white people
iare treated.
Thus far the crusade has caused more
& amusement than anything else and is
lset down as the crude effort Of mum
X dor of hot headed young colorod men to
= secure u little cheap notoriety. 1t is in
lteTest1ng to note that the movement is
s mccarthy condemned by the better clnss
lof negroes and that they regard it as far
1 lmom likely to cause trouble than good
lIhey recognize the fact that nothing
5siwill SO soon provoke resentment and
ajantagonlsm against their race, among
%ipeople friendly to them, as sending
laround an irresponsible committee of
lcolored men with chips on their shout
elders, challenging white people to knock
5fthemo off. They know that more injury
\ tcan be done to the cause of good feeling
land mutual respect and consideration
slbetween the two races by one week Of
: such effort than by seven years of prop
Ter behavior. They are alarmed also lest
S1t rouses into active use very powerful
lweapon Of retaliation in the hands of
4 the hotel and restaurant keepers. The
latter employ large numbers of colored
help, and it would be very easy mat
tier stir up AN opposition which would
throw these people out of employment.
Slhe closer they study the Malby law
land the anticS Of those who are trying
Ito ehforce it the more are they impressed
with it's dangers and unwisdom. If it
Twas evoked simply TO assist the colored
tpeoDle in occurring natural and necessary
ir1ghts, it would not be objectionable
sSlbut when it is used to enable emptv
t iheaded and ambitious politicians of
their own color to buy fancy drinks in
slplnces where their presence is not de-
isired sensible negro men and women
ARE Convinced that the new statute is a
menace rather than a benefit.
The! penalty section Of the law opens
20 wide door for blackmail 1t will be a
very easy matter for conscienceless ne
H4x.s-. - IL /.