The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-25
WILL Be SEPARATE CARS
SENATOR WARD TALKS OUT IN
MEETING.
&R. Q. Il. McLEAk's SUBSTITUTE BILL
Afternoon,

nltCIHOultr
There will be a Jim Grow" car law
no doubt about it,
Yesterday afternoon in the Senate
Chamber there was Il large gathering
to hear the discussion on the Jim Grow
car law before the Joint Committee on
Railroads, Judge Allen, chairman of
the House Committee. and Senator
Brown. chairman OF the Senate Commit
tee, presided
Senator Brown stated that the commit
Zee would be glad to hear from any rail
road official or any other person inter
ested in the proposed bills.
Colonel Warren q. Elliott. president
of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
Company, was the first person TO avas
himself OF this invitation.
He began in the softest and most So
ductiye of styles, saying that he was
aware from the number of bills intro
duced. from the comments of the press,
and from conversation with various
gentlemen, that there was a strong SEN
timent in North Carolina in favor of the
race-car BILL And ! want it under
stood here and now that we do not come
before you TO adtagonize anything that
this General Assembly may think neces-
sary."
SO far so good. But with this by way
of introduction. Mr. Elliott gradually
felt his way out along another line of
thought that finally brought him up to
most startling conclusion, viz: THAT
we did not need separate cars; that no
body had ever been Inconvenience by
negroes in travel to any considerable
extent; that the Railroad Commission
had all along had power to order these
cars, but never until recently had it oc-
Cured to anybody to suggest such a
thing.
Just at this time when the white
man has asserted his supremacy when
he has said to the negro race, YOU must
get back to your place and stay there, it
seems strange that it should suddenly
come to the Legislature that there was
Il necessity for this bill. If it was not
necessary when the negro felt that he
was lord of all, why is it necessary
nowY"
Then remembering the lines on which
the recent campaign had been fought
out, Mr. Elliott added:
Let it be established, though, that
this bill is in the interest OF white SUI
premacy and we yield. And in saying
that | voice the sentiment of the entire
personnel of the railroad officials of the
State"
Then he objected to the proposed law
on the ground that it provided for equal
accommodations for the races:
1.-THE very first provision of the bill IS
that the negro must have better accom-
modations than he ever had before. He
will ride on plush and velvet
Later in his speech, however, he said
the trouble with the law would be that
the negro would not ride first class, and
so that car would have to be hauled
empty.
This additional expense ought not to
be saddled upOm us unless there is a
corresponding benefit to the public"
Mr.. Rountree: How about Colonel
Young and Congressman White and ne
groes Of that class?'
Mr.. Elliott: THANK the Lord they
have been taught a lesson that l hope
| they'll not soon forget"
Having thus beaten around the bush
for half an hour, Mr. Elliott came down
| to his knitting and said what he started
out to say. and what everybody knew nc
would say, viz:
"That the railroads were too poor to
| stand this law unless they were'allowed
| to put in one rate, abolishing the first
and second-class fares. He thought the
| two fare rate solved the question better
| than separate cars would"
| Following Mr.. Elliott and very mucl
/ aIouc, tho corna limo n lpttpp from BlSn.
| op j. w. Hood was read
| He said the separate ear was the mos1
I horrible thing he could think of.
The Legislature, he thought, had NJ
/ idea how unpleasant such thing was
! to the colored people-''especially TO re
! fined colored people who travel.
THE bill says separate and equal &C
| commodations. They'll he separate, bu
| equal never.
Sometime ago | was at st. Louis anC
! spent much money and lost mucl
time going a roundabout way to avoiC
the separate car.
The Bishop then related what he pleas
cd to call his terrible experiences" il
Tennessee, where they have separate
cars. He said when he got to Nortl
Carolina and got on the Southern i
was like getting out of hell int
paradise
The letter was signed yours in tn,
hope Of escape, !. W. Hood"
Mr. f. H. Busbee, speaking for thu
Southern Railway. said that his roa,
would ac0uiesce i'll any action taken
but he desired to submit certain ohiec
tons. He said that all first class pas
scngers, if given poorer service than the!
paid for, would have an action AT law
Senator Ward, of Washington. said
Have they not that right now Mr.