Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-09-24
EVEN WHITE FOLKS KICKING -

The Jim Grow" street-cars are not
patronized by the majority of the col
ored people here and the great mass of
our people are continuing TO inconven-
fence themselves and maintain their
self-respect by walking. As result
there has been practically no trouble SO
far as the colored people are concerned
and the street-car officials openly ad.
init that they are being annoyed by the
disobedience of the white patronage.
The Richmond, Va, NEWS LEADER
in its issue of the 21st inst, publishes
a communication from white patron
who vigorously protests against being
Disseminated against on account of his
color. He says:
"The writer on last evening had oc-
casion Co board Clay street car at
Hancock and Marshall streets, in COM
pany with two ladies, coming eastward.
The car was pretty well filled with pas
sengers, so L took the first vacant seat.
which was the seat fourth from the
rear, or the first seat in front of the
portion of the car reserved for colored
passengers, smokers, etc, The last
! three seats IN the car were filed with
colored passengers, and the remaining
seats were filed Wi h whites. When /
had gotten about halfway to the point
was 60 get off, the car stopped at a cor
ner and several darlies got on. The
conductor of this car approached me.
stating that would have to move up.
which did, rather than have any ar
gument with him, but what am get
tlng at, he seated the colored passen-
gers IN the seat which he asked me 10
vacate."
OF course he did, because the con-
ductor is presumed to fill mp the car
from either end. He then states that
he was of the opinion that only the
last three seats We're for colored folks.
He conrinued:
why am making mention of this
fact is Tor the reason that l have, upop
several previous occasions, ridden ON
the cars, seating myself in the most
convenlent portion of the whites re-
serve and have net been asked to move
up by the condu ctors in charge of said
cars Then again, it is quite unpleas.
ant for Ladies' TO have 60 get up and
change their seats on summer or omen
cars. as you know they have to get ont
of the car on the step and are liable
more or less, TO an accident of some
kind"
This was because some Of the con.
ductors play "a fast and loose" game
just as they choose. There is seldom a
set rule, although the company alleges
that it has established one. As rule
white people are permitted to tide auy
where they please, the third seat from
the rear included, while the colored are
confined to the rear portion of the car
and when there are few white persons
ON the car and a large number of COL
ored persons, the car is filed up to-
wards the front, beginning at the rear
He continued;
The way L understand it, and /
know 1t TO be a fact from personal OBJ
Servatlon, white person cannot occu-
Ply seat behind the third seat i'm a
street car unless he does so for the pur-
pose of smoking, and if he wants Go
smoke, either white or colOred can oc-
cupy these seats, but have seen cars
absolutely full of passengers, with the
exception of the third seat from the
rear, and whites (ladies) would not be
allowed by the conductors tc enter
those seats, but would have to go to the
'front.' of the car and stand, while there
was a vacant seat in the car, being re-
served for the colored people; there
fore, L cannot understand why it is
that a conductor can make the white
people vacate their seats, especially la
dies, and give way to the colored. Why
cannot they stand as well as the
whltes?''
He then reaches the conclusion that
the colored people arrived at, many
months ago when he says:
81, for one, had much rather take
my part in walking than to be incon-
venlenced in this manner, and / am
sure you Will agree with me that it is
anything but pleasant to have to move
up, especially in open cars, and the
more so when in company with several
ladies'"
1t will be seen that this absurd regu-
lation is an abomination to both races
and is steadily reducing the street-car
company's revenues. The corporation
has been forced to reduce it's force of
employees on account of its reduction