The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-13
COLORED SCHOOLS AGAIN.
Bill RecOmmitted After an AII-Day
Discussion.

The colored school question again oc-
cupied most of the time of the House yes
terday and the colored troops fought nobly
The Hobbies and galleries of the House were
damned with colored citizens and their
sweethearts and wives and if a member
happened to leave his seat he was sur
rounded in short order. The speaker
handed the bill down on third reading. The
Hon. Gabriel Jones, the author of the bill.
had agreed with Mr. Nicholson the night
before TO substitute bill. but later he
had attended the mass meeting at the Her
culean Club and after the adoption of reso-
buttons there indorsing the bill in it's orig
inal form he had changed his mind. Mr.
Nicholson, however moved to recommit
the bill, which was on third reading with
instructions to amend by striking out all
after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
THAT section three 60 of the above en-
titled act. the same being Section 1869
of the Revised Statutes of 1881, be and the
same is hereby amended to read as follows
Section 3. The trustees or trustee OF such
township. town or city may organize the
coiored Children into separate schools of the
townships. town or city, having all the
rights. privileges and advantages of all
other schools of the townships. town or
city: provided, that in case there may not
be provided separate schools for the colored
children, then such colored children shall be
allowed TO attend the public schools with
white children: provided further that no
colored children shall be required to attend
any such colored school outside of the
school district where such colored children
reside and provided further that when
any child attending such colored school,
shall. in examination. produce the certifi-
cate OF his or her teacher to the trustee or
trustees of any township. town city,
showing that he or she has made sufficient
advancement TO entitle him or her to be
Ii r~1-1 III
by such colored school then such trustee
or trustees of any township town or city
shall admit such colored children to enter
the schools provided for white children of a
like grade: and children of all colored
parents shall be entitled TO the same rights
and privileges in the public schools of the
State as are AFFORDED therein TO the chill
dren of white parents and there shall be
no determinations made against or prefer
ence shown 10 any child on account of his
or her color. but every child shall have
equal educational facilities. regardless of
color"
Mr. Jones spoke in opposition to the mo-
ton and amendment. He explained that he
had agreed with Mr. Nicholson the after
noon before that the substitute would be all
right, but this he said was subject TO the
desires of the colored people and these
were expressed to him later at the mass
meeting. There he found the influential
people of his race against the substitute
and he would therefore oppose il. Mr..
East. of the Democratic side. spoke i'm OPP
position To the substitute. He declared that
amendments and preferred that the ques-
ton should be fought out openly and Il
straight vote taken To see whether or not
the House would pass the bill. Populist
Patterson pronounced in favor of the sub
stitute and Mr.. Linck spoke i'm it's he
half. Mr.. Jones took another whack at II
and explained his position more fully. Mr..
Nicholson defended the substitute bill de-
claring that il would give colored children
full and equal rights and would relieve
them of any hardships that they may now
have in attending schools ut a distance.
Mr. Hart spoke I'm opposition 70 the effort
to throw the children of both races to-
gether and Mr.. Littleton spoke for the sub
sttute. declaring that the author of the bill
ing To agreements. Mr.. Petit called Mr.
Willoughby TO the chair and took the floor.
He said both sides were right and the ques-
the Legislature should act in behalf Of the
citizens Of the State and not as politicians.
He believes that most of the colored people
Mr. SpOoner spoke at some length and In
Jones did not know what he wanted. He
had favored the substitute last night and
had changed his mind later. He favored
the substitute himself and was opposed to
throwing five hundred colOred teachers out
OF employment Mr.. Eichhorn leader OF
the Pcpoeracy, said he thought Jones was
the man who ought TO know what his peo-
pie wanted and he was therefore going 90
vote whichever way Jones wanted II the
bill should be recommitted and a substitute