The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-22

and believe it will be wise to leave
this matter to their discretion
Mr.. Craig wanted to know of Mr..
Allen what assurance he had that the
81 800 exemption would not let out the
main line of the big roaGs.
Mr. Allen said he had investigated
the matter and under this bill the Will
mington and Weldon, the Seaboard, the
Southern, the Norfolk and Southern,
the Atlantic and North Carolina and
other roads will have to provide separate
cars. 1t was made $1,000 instead of
$4,000 in order to apply to the Atlantic
and North Carolina Railroad.
Mr.. Leatherwood, of Swain said he
lived where the mountains are very rug
ged and negroes are very scarce.
THE railroads are doing all they can to
give us good service and l think there
ought TO be discrimination lodged some
| where. To impose on them burden of
additional cars would not only mean
an immense increase in expenses, but
would endanger the service"
In his county he said there were only
between sixty and seventy negroes, and
F.. they always rode in the second-clhss car.
| Mr.. Patterson, of Caldwell, hoped the
| amendment would not prevail. He rep
+ resented the narrow gauge road and no
( necessity for separate cars prevailed on
/ that line"
| Mr.. Moore, of Jackson, thought on
i the road through his county it would
mean two trains instead of One-one for
negroes and one for white people. They
| can't pull extra cars"
Mr.. Ray-"And how often would there
be tirst-cass negro passenger2"
| Mr.. MoOre-"Ab0ut one month,
/ possibly six a year"
Mr.. Winston sent forward his bill as
substitute.
To this Mr.. Mclean, of Harnett, OBJ:
! jected, saying that they wouldn't allow
him to send up his bill as a substitute
and he didn't see how the gentleman
| from BERTHE could do so.
Mr.. Winston-"You have not to-day
offered your bill as substitute"
Mr.. McLean-"Yes l have and if I'm
out of order YOU are out of order"
| The Speaker ruled that the committee
| bill was substitute and no substitute
could be offered to substitute.
Mr.. Justice speaking to his amendment,
said:
MY observation of the Railroad Com
mission is that it's not very safe To leave
| anything to them. And lny experience
since I've been here has not tended to
increase my estimate of the commission.
1t is and has been disgrace 5O the
State. One day they reduce telephone
| rates; the next day they restore them.
One crowd refuses 10 reduce rates and
the Governor puts iu another crowd
pledged to low rates; huc they tNA turn
square around and refuse Io TUs rates
down. Thus they see-Saw hack anl
forth. There is not mBcA encourage
ment, therefore. to put anything into
their hands until they remove some of
the disgrace that attaches 20 them by
their imbecility or venality."
Mr.. McLean-"The gentleman says he
Us opposed to putting anything in the
hands of the Railroad Commission.
Why not abolish the office then:"
Mr.. Justice-"That's just what I'm
in favor of doing unless we can get
better Commission than we've got
now"
He pointed ont that the roads that
need protection by separate car law
are those that do not make the most
money The richest roads. he argued,
having plenty of cars and good accom-
modations. one need not be thrown in
direct contact with the colored passen-
ger, but in the little stuffy car of the
poor road there is no escape.
mo road ought to be exempt if there
are any negroes living along it. | had
occasion to go to Lincolnton last sum-
mer on the narrow gauge that the gentle
man from Caldwell Patterson is ask
ing to be exempted. There were about
dozen white men and two dozen ne
groes in the car. OF course there was
nothing to do but make the best Of the
situation"
He argued that the expense of proyid-
ing separate cars was not so great ms
the roads pretend. He thought all the
roads could afford to comply with this
law.
Mr.. Justices amendment was defeat
ed, as was also one by Smith, of Craven.
providing that white prisoners should
not be taken into the negro car
1t was at this point that Mr.. Winston
sent forward his bill as an amendment
and Mr.. Nicholson, of Beaufort, sent up
Mr. McLean's bill as an amendment.
CONTINUED on Second Page.)