The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-28
NEGROES NEED NOT APPLY
Tennessee Railroad Commission De.
 clares Against Them in Rsearfmp Cara .+f

clares Against Them in Sleeping Cars.
 One of the greatest victories ever won by any Railroad Commission has just been achieved by the Railroad Commis- sion of Tennessee, says The Nashville American. An order has been issued by the Pullman Palace Car Company, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, prohibiting negroes from rid- ing in the same sleeping cars, and also from using the same dining cars with white people, so far as the Volunteer State is concerned.
 It is a well known fact that in the past negroes have been suffered to occupy berths in the same sleeping cars with white persons in and out of the different cities and on ali railroads operating in this State. There Is statute which plainly sets forth that there must be separation of white persons and negroes on all trains This Is done in the day passenger coaches by having a complete wooden partition, with door, cutting off the negroes. It has been a fact, how ever, that white ladies and gentlemen have been compelled to occupy the sleep CTS with negro men and women also as occupants of other herths and in the same car.
 Evasions of the Law.
 The law has been frequently evaded by the placing of a sort of portiere arrange ment across the car, but this has not proved practicable, as there are numer- ous instances on record where a white person and a negro have had to occupy a single compartment, one in the upper and the other in the lower berth.
 It is to the credit of Governor James B. Frazier that he was the one to give "a trnntfn,N tn fbia ant vvh has resulted in the permanent separation of the races on the sleepers. so far at least as the Volunteer State is concerned. It was on September 26 last that Gov ernor Frazier was returning from Chatta- nooga to Nashville on a sleeper on the Nashville, Chattanooga and St Louis Railway. On board this same car were three negro women and two negro men, all occupants of berths. They monopo- lized the time of the porter on the sleep CT. and otherwise made themselves Ob- noxious and almost intolerable to the white persons who were occupants of the sleeper.
 The Governors Action.
 Following this experience, Governor Frazier addressed the members of the Railroad Commission in person, citing this lamentable fact and also pointing out the law in the matter, to the effect ltldt IleBTOcS are pEOHiDltcu lIOHl III the same coach with white persons. He requested the commission to take the matter up and if possible to effect a sat- isfactory adjustment.
 The matter was taken up by the Rail road Commission. taken up effectively and In earnest, and with results that are emi- nently satisfactory. On October IA three letters were sent out by the commission, one to w. l.. Granbery. counsel for the Pullman Palace Car Company; one to President J. w. Thomas of the Nash vile. Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway, and one to President Milton Smith of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. In these letters 1t was set forth plainly and firmly that the law is being transgressed and violated by the tolerance of negro patrons in the same sleepers with white persons ;the law in the case was cited, and each of the three to whom the com munications were addressed was asked to take prompt action in the matter. Con- ferences followed. and the matter was taken up by Mir Granbery with the Pull man Company in Chicago. The decision in the matter was finally announced here on Monday morning when MT. Granbery announced that orders had been, or would be. immediately issued resembling the right of negroes to ride in the same sleep CTS with white persons, OF to occupy the same dining cars together.
 Railroads Issue Orders.