The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-03
In THE SAME SEATS
COUNCIL DECIDES RACES NEED NOT
BE SEPARATED.
WHEN RIDING IN STREET CARS.
ALDERMAN BACON'S THE ONLY
VOTE FOR THE ORDINANCE.

Committee of CoIored Citizens APP
peared Before Council in Caucus
to Oppose the Measure-Hev. j. y.
Durham Acted as Spokesman for
the Committee--Protest Were Al
so Read in the Open Meeting-Al-
derman Bacon Spoke i'm support
of His Ordinance and Aldermen
Jones and CoIding Against IL.
The ordinance for the separation of
the races in trolley cars was defeated
in the City Council last night, when it
was placed on it's second reading. AL
derman Bacon was the only member of
the board who voted for the adoption
OF the ordinance.
A committee of seven colored citi-
gems, headed by Rev. J. ]. Durham,
appeared in the caucus, and petitions
from various and sundry colored organ
izations were read at the open meet
ing of the board. There was some lit
tie discussion between Alderman Ba-
con and Alderman Colding before the
vote was taken. Alderman Bacon
Rev. Durham was the spokesman
when the committee of colored people
went before the Committee of the
Whole. Council was in caucus an hour,
and most of that time was spent in
hearing the arguments against the
adoption of the ordinance. The min
lister predicted that such an ordinance
would cause friction, where none now
exists, and that it would be a great in
convenience to both races. He said
that Savannah is a metropolitan city,
and that half of the patrons on the
cars are strangers. Their ignorance
of such law would cause more or
less trouble.
The minister said that such an ordi-
nance would work a great hardship on
the best colored people in the city, who
are property owners and tax payers.
He said that many of them have their
own homes in the suburbs and that the
cars are a great convenience. The
passage of such an ordinance would
mean that they would have to stop rid
ing. The chairman of the committee
commended. too. that the street railway
company would be greatly damaged,
and that the loss of revenue would be
no small matter, the colored people
making up about half of the riding
public. The minister spoke of the
pleasant relations existing between the
races now, and said that he believed
such measure would mean no end of
trouble.
Other colored citizens assembled in
the long room and with the committee
of seven waited until the ordinance
was brought up in open meeting. AS
soon as the ordinance was killed, the
interested Colored persons left the tx
change Resolutions introduced by
Evangelical Ministers Union, a mass
meeting of colored citizens and the Re-
publican Executive Committee, pro-
testing against the adoption of the or
dinance, were read.
AS soon as the ordinance was read by
Clerk Bailey, Alderman Bacon moved
its passage. He said that before the
question was put he desired to say
few words in favor of the measure.
He called attention to the fact that
Atlanta has had such an ordinance for
a year, and that there has been no
friction; that Augusta has had such an
ordinance for eighteen months and that
the only trouble was a boycott of the
street cars for the first month: that
Macon has just adopted such a meas
ure; that one is said to be in operation
in Columbus; that one has been in
operation in Columbia for a year with
out any trouble. The alderman said
that he could see no sound reason
for either the whites or blacks to OBJ
ject to the ordinance, and that the
races are separated at all public gath
erings.
Alderman Bacon called attention to
the fact that the colored people occupy
a separate portion of the theater and
that even when they have an enter
tainnent of their own they provide a
separate part of the theater for the
whites.
Alderman Colding wanted to know If
such an ordinance would be valid, even
if it were passed. Alderman Bacon
suggested again that such ordinances
are in effect in other cities in Georgia.
Alderman Jones said that the mem
bers of Council had better think care
fully before adopting such an ordi-
nance. He said that in Savannah, a
seaport and with such a mixed popu-
lation, more or less friction would be
bound 10 follow. He advised Council
to move slowly.
Alderman Colding said that he would
oppose, the measure on another ground
entirely. He declared that such an or
dinance can't be legally enforced for
the reason that no municipal corpora
ton can enact an ordinance when the
same ground is covered by a state law.
In case of an arrest, ii would be a
to employ counsel and go into the
courts to fight an ordinance that would
be Illegal. The alderman said thav City
Attorney Adams had so advised. AL
derman Bacon did not remember hav-
ing heard MIR. Adams reach any such
conclusion. There seemed to be some
difference of opinion and 1t look
ed as if ii was for Mr.. Ad-
ans to speak. He said that
he had gone over the situation in eau
Gus, but that he would not object to
again stating his idea on the subject.
The question was not pressed, and the
vote was taken. The names of the al
dermen were called off by Clerk Bailey.
and one by one the votes in the neg
alive were recorded. Aldermen Frank
and Fripp were not present, and with
the exception of Alderman Bacon, who
introduced it. the members of the
board placed their stamp of disapprov-
al upon the ordinance, the introduction
of which caused so much discussion.
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