The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-08
MATTER WILL.
Be SETTLED
Negroes Now Hopeful That
Satisfactory Agreement Can
S. %bc53Reac11ed.

Later developments pont to a. salts
factory set lenent4 of the disturbance
That has followed the announcement by
the Passenger and Power Company that
on and after April 18th It will enforce
the law acorferrfng police power upon
conductors and permitting them to desig-
nate the seats to be occupied by passen-
gers.
The negroes of#three citles-R Richmond.
tanchestert5 and P4tersburg--were thor
ougf1l y aroused over the matter. at once
concluding that the law would be used
to discriminate against them. a cor-
Terence OF negro pastors, representing
1900 or more people, was held Tues
day, and q s. a result OF this gathering,
Mt which the situation was discussed
thoroughly a delegation Of representa-
tive negro preachers visited the officers
OFT tho com pany yesterday afternoon at
q o'clock The discussion Of the matter
consumed more than All hour. The otTl-
Gals OF the company assured the delegn-
ton that the utmost liberality would
ibe used In The plIcation of the law
and that there would DO discrimination
against 70 one, black or white. The con-
Terence was said TO Ibe satisfactory 10
both sides, and one OF the coored minis
5ters said tHfter3Iitg was over that he now
had reason to believe that the entire
matter would DO adjusted.
An adjourned conference of the negro
pastors will be held this afternoon. At
( TINS time the company, In response to
the action taken yesterday, will present
IN writing a communication, outlining
the policy to be pursued In the enforce
ment Of the la VS..
5 PAPETa PRESENTED,
Tho delegation OF yesterday laid before
the company a paper which defined the
position taken by the negroes II, the
matter This paper read as follows: ,
10 the Officers and Managers OF tia yir-
slnia Passenger and Power Company:
Gentcmen,-ln5 View Of the passage OF
a law separating the races on your cars
the colored people OF this city and vicin-
my nave become greatly alarmed as to
what construction q *. your. company may
put upon the said law. since the Legisla-
ture in passing the law clearly puts its
enforcement In the hands Of your COM
pany. NJ 81 ~
It appears from said law that you may
adopt such a policy In separating the
races as to you may seem best
ored people OF this city and vicinity, we,
in conference assembled at the Fifth
Street Baptist Church. this city. this 9Th
day of April. appeal to you to inform the
people through us as to what policy will
be adopted by your company in enforc-
Ing the law.
As we feel that radical policy may re-
suit In great confusion and bring about
otiiLe tiitt OtieI"lse COulu % dNOlueti'
we ask that the most liberal construction
may be placed upon the law. and that
the conductors may be instructed not to
discriminate against us on account OF our.
color, but to treat both races a like. We
are not protesting against riding. with,
the members OF our own race, or asking to
ride with other races. but we do desire
fair and impartial treatment and no dis
termination in respect to accommodations
We respectfully submit that the rough
element OF both races should be elected
when they fail to conduct themselves with
proper decorum.
THE fear Of improper treatment OF our
people by your conductors has created
such strong feeling that there Is much
talk Of walking and providing other .,sl
to DO forced to either Of thees alterna-
We will not be in a position to advise
our people until We shall have mad
reply from you to this communication.
We are, 44s
yGr TX, r s;gm X9SI5TR;
Archer Ferguson, president
w. IT, Johnson. secretary. g
Committee from Ministers conference
j. Andrew Bowler. chairmani -
a. r. Williams. ". II. Graham. W. T.
Johnson, W. NJ. Wines. 80,
Richmond, Va, pril 3, igH.
Tho Richmond Branch, Of me NcEro
Business League concnrs in6tle foregoing
i''''' GILES 10. ACKsON, committasae,.
Richmond. Va,GApril o. 1904,
The Baptist Sunday school Union OF
Richmond, Vn., concllrs also N the fore-
so''b wv ~. B. nURRELL. Committee.