The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-07-08
WILLARD SUPPORTED
THE JIM CROW LAW

An inspired editorial in the "Culpcpcr
Exponent" on the subject OF the jim
Crow law seeks 10y inuendO and caltiul
misstatement To misrepreSent the post
ton taken in 1900 by Mr. Willard when
that laudable piece ot legislation was
enacted 10y the General Assembly. Tie
"EXponent' refers To an amendment
offered hy Mr.. Willard in committee III
the temporary aud local interest Oi the
people of Fairfax ana Alexandria coun-
ties. and carefully avoids placing before
its RAIDERS the fact that Mr. Willard not
only voted for the jim Crow hill. but dld
all in his power To support il and To see
that il became a law az reported 10y Tie
committee on roads and internal llaNl-
cation, of which committee Mr. Willard
VAS then an influential member.
shortly before 1900. through the en-
terprs,, ol young civil engineer m Mex
amdria county, an clcctIic railway had
been partly constructed from the Nir-
ginia shore oi the Potomac opposite
WashintOn in the direction OF Fairfax 1.
III. The road was constructed almost
exclusively 10y the limited capital oi this
young engineerat "A total cost OF thirteen
thousand dollars. Up to the year 1000
this electric road 10y economy and carciul
management extended its line solely ont
OF it's earnings To the edge OF Fairfax
county or distance al about seven
miles To the people of Alexandria
county the little struggling road was n
blessing and Il Godsend. aud the people
of Fairfax county, who We're entirely
without these facilities Were watching
with deepest interest the snail like eXtcn-
sion ol this road that gave hope to the
people of Fairfax county. During the
pendency OF this situation the Jim Crow
law was launched in the legislature. Ii
was apparent that To compel this little
struggling electric railway in Alexandria
county to put on extra ears, and other
wise double it's equipment, would not
only be- requiring OF It what was an im-
possibility for il to do. but that even a
partial attempt to comply with the law
would bankrupt the road, and defeat its
extension through Fairfax county The
situation was plain 10 the people OF
Alexandria and Fairfax county along
the line OF this electric road, and they
lost no time in appealing To Mr. Willard
To So that the proposed Jim Crow law
would not apply To that locality. Mr.
Willard had absolutely no personal i'll
terest in the matter. He owned not a
dollars worth of stock in the electric
road or any other railway in Alexandria
or Fairfax county and does not now,
aud was not Interested directly or III
directly in the local railways Mr.. vii
lard. in Response To the demand OF his
constituents in Fairfax county. Offered
in committee an amendment that would
except this road from the operation OF
the Jim Crow law. The amendment
was voted down in committee 10y ma
jority Of one vote; and Mr.. Willard, find
ing upon its being reported back To the
house that that body would not con
slider his amendment, worked Tor and
secured with Others the passage OF the
Jim Crow law. which was being stpnu-
Ously fought by powerful lobby. and l.
not now nor ever has been behind MIR.
Willard in his political aspirations.
Ii * worthy of remark that in order
To aid the aforementioned road So that
it might extend its lines to Fairfax Mr.
Willard sent the road, through the cti-
zens OF Fairfax a check for twenty-five
thousand dollars. and in return therefor
has neither asked nor received any COM
pensation whatever, not even pass Tor
himself or family Mr.. Wilard's gener-
Osity in this instance enabled the
electric line to enter the village of Fair
lax. thereby enormously adding to the
value OF the farmers property in that
locality and comforting lasting benefit
on the citizens of that section.