The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
WHITE AND BLACK.
Another Move Against the Blacks II
Georgia.

Another move Against the blachs IN
Georgia.
The Georgia Legislature has just passed a
law which u intended 10 prevent Afro Amer Icons
from riding In the sleeping cars operated in the
State Of Georgia. Exception is made in the Gaze
OF portcrs employed Ivy tho railroads or sleeping
cor companies, and scrvants In tho employ Of
white travellers Those latter are particularly
exempted This provision OF the Law stamps
the character OF Il, and may and should defeat
the objects OF the law when the courts arc appe aed
TO- as they will he, TO determine the constitution
ality OF II. II such law does not come under tho
head OF class legislation, then there is no such
legislation.
Tho AFRO Americans OF Georgia and the country
had no, got through hurrahing over the defeat
Of the HArdwck bill in the Gcroeia Legislature,
measure intended 10 disiranchise the Afro
American citizens In tho State In the same way
and 20 the same extent as those OF Mississippi
Louisiana and South Carolina have been. and the
newspapers all over the country were still saying
nice things about the Georgia Democrats on thet
account when this separate sleeping car law
was snoaked through the Legislature. I say It
was snenked through. because the newspapers In
Georgia had almost nothing TO say about tho
measure when II was on its passage. and the best
informed Afro-Americhna in Atlanta knew so
little about Il that three OF them could not answer
intelligently concerning Il kilograms that wero
sent them from New York the dny after the news
dispatches announced the passage OF H. II was
very late In the day on last Sunday before any
reliable information was received; then IL was
stated that the measure h ad been aked through
both houses Of tho Legislature and that the Cover
nor would sign H.
Unfortunately. the South Ia over.run by this
sort Of political pests. men who do more 10 rrtard
nd In st a n strife hefu
than all other causes combined They follow
the mob, when they do not lead II, and the mob
OF tho Republic
The existing scpara,-.cnr law Of Georgia Is so
face railroads q the cities; and on effort has
bc~n mad, lately in atlanta and Savannah 10
compel American patrons 81 the surface
roads tn occupy thr thrcc last seats of each car.
Ot coursr this measure has met with bitter oppo-
siton' aud on that account has not met with
| 1t is .shnme and rcproach 10 the people OF
the Republic that any State. should have and
I've allowed TO enforce such class laws as those
| which govern railroad travel In the Southern
| States They tend directly 10 degrade in Its
self esteem and respect large part Of the citizen
ton between The rsc"s in the south betw. sT
| whom the greatest amiiy should be foStered by
all those who hope ior the best results in tho cti
! zenShip OF the Southern States, II seems TO ME
that this view o'thc after should he plain enough
10 tho whit" men Of the South, who asked the
people Of the country 10 commit tho race protlem
| 10 them with the promise that they would solve
| it. So far, since 1877. they have sought to solve
IL only by the enactment Of Legislation intended
| 10 degrade tho AiroAmcrlcnr In his manhood
and citizenship. Tho degrading Legislation Is
! on the statute books but the Afro. American
! citizen refuses 10 he degraded. lie has more
! schools and churches he owns more realty and
personally. he has q stronger manhood and
| The extraordinary prosperity Of the South-ri,
| Stacs, especially in Its agricultural production
with cotton output Of over eleven mill bales
| last year shows that he s doing his h, nest share
| OF the work. The white South should he
generous 70 The black South. Their interests are
| the other 10 such a great extent, that wisdom
| II MT humanity, should dictate a change o
| policy on the part OF the white South toward
| the black South. T. THOMAS FORTUNE.