The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-19
THE JIM CROW CARS.
Arrest of Miss Lee Being Used as
 Campaign Material.

Washington, June 1S.-The arrest of Miss Custis Lee. daughter of the Confederate chieftain, for violating the Virginia law relative to separate accommodations for the races in street cars. has been seized upon by the class that can see no good in the Southern enactments on this sub ject to justify their contention. They claim that this case demonstrates that the separate car laws must ever be imprac- icable and a source of trouble. The incl dent is not only regrettable by reason of the personality of Miss Lee, but it comes at an especially inopportune time. when the Louisiana Legislature, after a. bitter struggle against the street railway sym dicate of New Orleans and it's allied in terests, is about to enact a separate ear law for that and the other Louisiana cities.
 The friends of seprate cars, however, should not be discouraged by this incl dent nor can any deductions be drawn from it that would apply to any other city in the South. There is in fact no place in the Union where suchsa law could be subjected to so unfair test as right here in Washington. This Is a city and a black fringe beyond the bor- S5000 of them within the limits of the veritahle negro's paradise. There are ders. Republican hypocrisy. long en- throned here. has pandered to them to such an extent that they have become intolerable. They can enter the bars, restaurants and places of amusement, if they choose. and while the Southern peo- pie who predominate here have managed to keep all but the boldest within their places. in spite of federal encourage ment, it was determined to find relief from the local conditions beyond the vir- ginia border A condition was thus created that exists nowhere else. If the darky enters the car here In the District he is entitled to any seat he finds va- cant, but after travelling a few blocks and crossin gthe Potomac River he is compelled to change his seat if he has thrust himself among the whites and find accommodation in that part of the car reserved for his race. On the other hand, if he begins his journey at the other end of the line. in Virginia ter ritory, he is assigned to a place among his own people at the start and can only gratify his ambition to mingle with the whites after the long bridge has again been crossed and the car is near the end of its journey. As the line upon which this unhappy incident occurred Is no longer than the average city street car line, 1t will be seen that there are con- uitIonS surrounulng IL that could not be found elsewhere.
 While this primarily was the cause of the trouble it Is to be borne in mand that Miss Lee was totally ignorant of any such law and had to deal with a con- ductor who was not only rude but whose conduct toward her warranted his dis charge. That the average Washington conductor Is inclined to be boor has been repeatedly illustrated of late. The case in which eSnator Money of Mississippi figured only few weeks ago will serve as an example. They do not treat their passengers with the courtesy that Is ex- acted and freely given further south and this was undoubtedly the cause of all the trouble