The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-26
Begin
] I /. he L:
Year.
road companies TO provide separate coach
es or compartments in cars Tor the two
races came up. Mr.. Munford addressed

es or com partments in cars Tor the two
races came up. Mr.. Munford addressed
the Senate as follows:
This bill introduced in the House by Mr..
Epps. one of the representatives from
my city. viii doubtless pass this body as.
it passed the House. byaa unanimous
vote. I desire, however, to male q word
popular misconceptions with respect to
Its provisions.
II has been called the Jim Crow Car
Bill, and from this misnomer the idea has.
arisen that 1t is a bill which impinges
upon the rights and feelings OF our
colored citizens. An inspection of the
bill, however. will show that 1t does not
provide, as thus suggested. special cars
Of inferior character or convenience. in
which colored people are required to
travel, but it simply requires that the
railroad companies of the State shall fur
nish separate cars or compartments Tor
white and colored passengers; and by ex-
press provision it is enacted that the
railroad companies shall make no diff
ference or discrimination in the quality.
convenience or accommodation in the cars
or coaches or partitions set apart 1or5
white and colored passengers.
Thus it will be seen that the actual pro-
visions of the bill are no more dis
eliminating in their character against the
colored people of the State than they are
against the white. 1t is legislation In
exact accordance with existing laws
which provide separate schools and sep,
arate asvIums, and will doubtless tend
to promote peace and goodwill between
the two races.
There is one other suggestion-that the
terms of the bill are enerous and opprcs-
s;ve upon the railroad companies, and
tend to greatly embarrass them in the
discharge of the duties as public carriers.
Whatever may have been the provisions
of the bill as originally introduced-and
with respect to which l am not advised
certainly the bill as passed by the House.
and now before this body for con-
sideration, is not amenable to this
criticism.
The bill simply provides that the rail-
road companies shall designate the cars
in which the two races shall be required
to travel, and permits the construction
of compartments in any one car for TINS
purpose. II further provides that when
any coach or compartment of car :or
either race shall be completely filed,
where no extra coaches or cars can be
had. and the increased number of pas
sensers could not, be foreseen the con-
ductor may set apart a portion OF the
car or compartment assigned to one race
cannot otherwise be accomm Odated.
The Eill further provides that the pro.
visions of the act shall not apply TO
employees Of railroads. nor to persons enl-
ployed as nurses. nor where officers are
in charge of prisoners, nor to persons
travelling in caboose cars attached 10
freight trains nor to Pullman cars, nor
to through or express trains that do no
local business.
AUTHOR CAREFUL.
I recite these express provisions of the
bill to show how careful the author has
been to avoid placing any unnecessary
burden upon the transportation companies
of the State. ] desire to have the pro-
visions Of this bill go forth to the world
as exemplifying anew the fact that the
Commonwealth of Virginia. through its
law-makinE body. deals with considera-
ton and fairness with every great prop
erty interest within her borders. This
fact am glad to know is recognized and
appreciated by men representing these
interests. In public address delivered
by Mr.. ingalls,. the president of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio and Big Four railways.
at William and Mary College at its last
commencement. he declared that the Sys-
tenn of which he was the president ex>
tended through eleven States of this Union
interests so fairly dealt with as in Viz
GINA. A substantial recognition of this
fact is to be found in the great expen-
ditures made and being made by the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company
all along its line especially in this city
and at Newport News.
MR. HUNTINGTON.
I have before me a letter addressed to
President Tyler, of William and Mary
College. by Mr.. C. p. Huntington whose
great work in establishing the shipbuild-
ing yard at Newport News is well
known. and who has thus added hundreds
of thousands Of dollars to the taxable
values of the State, and attracted thou
sands Of people to that progressive city,
in which he declares Gn abiding to Vir-
giniaD that it is "a State for which have
more honest regard and affection than
for any other in the Union. because 1t
has treated me with a consistent and uni
form fairness and liberalty-"
Such, declaration coming from man
of Mr. lIuntingtons position and financial
power. whose great interest extends lit
orally from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
is of incalculable value TO this State.
and he has demonstrated his faith not
only in words, but by his works. This
Generally Assembly on his petition has
adopted an amendment to the charter OF
the shipbuilding plant at Newport News,
which with its dry-dock. is already one
of the greatest concerns on this CONT
nent, by which the capital stock will be
increased S6,0C0.Goo with which to estab-
fish a plant for the manufacture of guns
and armor plate.
FAIR TO CORPORATIONS.
A further recognition of Virginia's
fairness to corporate and property inter-
es,.s is evidenced by the fact that at
this session of the General Assembly
the owners Of the Atlantic Coast Line, a
series of railroads extending from Rich
mond into the far South. and heretofore
operated under charters granted by sew
eral different States. have come forward
and secured from this Legislature a law
under which all of these roads are to be
consolidated and operated under Vir-
sinia charter. The same is true Of
the Seaboard Air Lime, system controll-
ing $500 miles of railroad. Though less
than 100 miles of this system are in the
State of Virginia, yet it is to the Vir-
cinia Legislature the owners and mana
gers of ehis property come for a charter
unier which to conduct the operations OF
that great system.
I have made these references. Mr.. Pres
idcnt. in connection with this bill, to
show that the policy of Virginia has been