The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-09
REPLY OF
COMP ANY
Paper Presented Yesterday to
the Colorcd Pastors OF
Richmond. #
SITUATION RESOLVES ITSELF
There Seems No Reason Now
Why. New Law Shall Not be 81 a
Success and a Benefit.

rho shirt OF anxiety ard restlessness
that has existed among Tho negroes 81
Richmond and Manchester since tho w"
street car laws were proposed has almost
disappeared under the cnlm ana. qonserV-
alive action OF tho colorcd pastors ana II
row seems probable that with the COR
dial assistance OF oil the citizcn ~. oiacN
and white. the regulations, AZ lirst ~
parently radical and intlam,Ins - LA ny y
extreme, Will prove d piSeS'n 49,,
AZ s:3o oclocI yesterday afternoon. a 7
tho Fifth Street Church. the negro MN.
listers gathered IN an adjourned scss ,,'n
and received tho written reply q VIZ
Virginia Passenger and Power Go m
to the RESOLUTIONS presented at the thurs.
day cor ference in the Office OF President
SItterding. BY the desire OF tho preach
3 crsa1 Cantain Alexander Gulgor, JUNIOR
counsel OF tho company, appehred ana
read the reply and explained II. Inc col,
ored men listened with attention, ana
when Captain Guigon was through as ~
,rhe utmost harmony and good VIII pre-
vailed. ard the mintsters appeared 70 Do 70
entirely satisfied with the SITUATION. ! I
"a understood that each will now preach
10 His congregation to-morro" ana en-
deavor to allay the excitement mat mas
existed. Inc ne6TOE ISplh. ~ - 80 ~.
10 ob.cryc tho law and the directions
scrupulously, and II, the confidence that
there viii be no discrimination against
them. ,,vrr,p
,rhe now law governing the traihc on
street cars IS a very important mater.
ard the very greatest interest is bc'ns
taken in It throughout the city. The nn,
usual procedure 1t will establish caused
4 many 10 view 1t with surprise. but IL IS
now believed that with the cooperation
OF ali concerned tho law can be made q
success and a benefit.
Tho negroes were disturbed over the
fact that the law confers police powers
upon conductors and vests In them the
right to designate seats for passengers.
They CONCLUDED at once that this would
mean an immediate discrimination
against them in favor OF tho whites and
tho feeling Of restlessness and alarm was
rapidly gaining ground when the pas
tors took a hand and held Il consultation
with The officers OF the company.
BE TREATED FAIRLY.
The reply OF the company, submitted
yesterday In BRIEF, assured the colofed
people that they wt,uld be treated fairly,
and that tho law would be carried out
with as little Inconvenience as possible
to anyone. 1t has been generally over
looked IN tho DISCUSSION oL lIliS 4!iihtSe
that the law itself specifically provides
against discrimination on the ground OF
color. and that. therefore. the company
would itself be performing an Illegal act
IL II permitted the discrimination that
was feared.
There Is no reason. therefore, why the
law shall not be made a success. The
company Will use every endeavor to make
Its application rs convenient to all as Is
possible. and the conductors Will be tho
roughly instructed as Ia their duties un-
der It, With the corporation Of the citi-
zcns and their recognition OF the ex-
istence OF the law when they are in
structed to occupy the seats designated.
there will be no trouble. and the separa-
ton OF the races. believed to be desired
by ALL will be accomplished on fair
and Just basis that can prove objection
able 10 no one.