Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-05-07

What possible difference could
IL make to them to compel those of the
same race to sit together, if they are
gwen equal facilities and comfort and
riding! The same rule which excludes
tnem from the seats assigned TO the
whlte patrons excludes the whites from
the seats assigned to them. and the con-
ouceors OF the cars are vested by law
with authority to assign to each race
the seats set apart for it,
The EVENING WORLD endeavors to be
fair. but it confounds civil rights with
social equality. There is vast differ.
ence between them. The law can reach
the one; 1t is futile to attempt to reach
the other.
There is no more social equality in
meeting ON the street-car than there is
In meeting on the public streets or in
the public parks. If the law-making
power is to be invoked to keep the races
separate, then it can forbid a white
family from employing Negro servant
and Negro family from employing a
white one.
Garry the argument to its logical con-
clusion and those persons who have
public license can be made to separate
their customers. Colored people should
only be permitted to purchase millinery
and dry goods in the Jim Crow de
partment.
Garry it out still further and a divis
Ion should be made in the sidewalks.
colored people on the left and white
people on the right. These, sir, are
civil rights and not social ones. Accord
ing to your reasoning, whenever colored
people become obnoxious to white ones
the laws aid should be invoked and the
separation made.
Colored people of education, refine
ment, aud the others with common sense
bJect to any discrimination based upon
race or color. They are opposed to the
doctrine of caste because it is antago-
nlstic to the bedrock principles of the
republic and should have no place with
In the confines of the intended model
government of the civilized world.
When ST paration is based upon condi-
ton, we accept it, because we can i'm
prove our condition. When it is based
upon physical characteristics, stamped
upon us by the Creator and for which
we are no wise responsible, we are op-
posed to it.
The street car company made a virtue
OF a necessity when it made the
accommodations equal. We would Cd
pose 1t, if the seats for colored people
were plush and down while those for
the white people were cane-seated.
Were we white, we would regard the
law in the same sense that we do as a
colored person.
The stamp tax upon the English colon
les was said to be nominal and vet it
led to revolutionary war which gave
us this republic.
A people who willingly accept dis
elimination and submit uucomplaining
ly to outrage are not sufficiently advanc
ed to be entitled to the liberties OF a
free people.
Its leaders must emblazon the way
along correct and proper avenues aud
iere should be no hesitancy on T. e
part of the followers TO ac;ept the advice
rendered and act along all lines conso.. -
ant with the exercise of the rights of n
deservedly free people.
This journal concluded as follows:
THE perpetuity of Southern society
and civilization depends upon keeping
mr.. ha linz Of do,
the two races, and any Negro who seeks
20 cross that line and force social eoua-
lily with Southern whites, will meet
with resistance, TO the extent, if need
be, of the exterminatlon OF the inferior
race. This does not imply enmity TO the
Negro On the contrary IL Is for his
good, and so long as he recognizes the
fact and acts upon 1t, Ire will find little
or no opposition from the white people
i'll the South, TO his full enjoyment of
life, liberty and property"
The above brutal utterances will
hardly disturb the equananimity of the
average citizen of color. The writer
threatens determination if the colored
brother crosses the line and fore 8
social equality, but says nothing as to
what shall be done when white peop'e
cross the line and do the same thing.
His expressed determination to exter-
inmate an entire race of people, although
previously stated, with its usual
accompaniment of cooling time" does
not imply enmity to the Negro. On the
contrary, according to his theory, it in
dicates the love Of him. The absardity
of this line of reasoning is too apparent
for further comment.
As we have before intimated and
asserted, the EVENING W-RLD is of the
opinion that Negro mon can gain the
consent of some white females for dseds
uncomfortable IN these columns and
that this consent is possible upon the
TRANSIENT mountaineering on the street
cars and other public places.
We have never subscribed TO any such
idea and the reflection upon some of the
females of the Southland is too base to
be tolerated in the columns of any white