Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-07-28

eve single 10 its fundamental arti-
Gle of belief. that the white people
OF the South neither sympathize
with. nor understand. nor aid the
black man in his struggle for better
things. the Evening Post finds in our
article meaning that was as for
eign as IL was strained. What The
Times Dispatch really said was:
Strange as IL may seem. the prac-
teal working of the Jim Crow law
has been more annoying to the white
people than to the colored. There
have been more white people order
ed around and made TO change their
seats, sometimes without any APP
parent reason than there have been
colored people. This opinion is not
only the result OF inquiry. but ex-
| perience. The writer recently board
ed car in Richmond, and. with full
/ knowledge OF the requirements Of
| the law took his seat so as rot TO
violate il. as he supposed. The ear
was not at all crowded. at the out
side there were not over one or two
colored people on IL, and the white
passenger appeared 20 be safe within
the legal limits. He had been sit
ting moment when the young con-
ductor touched him on his shoulder
and told him be would have to move
IL was with some sense
OF Indignation that he got up and
moved TO seat in advance
Commenting on this the Evening
Post says:
The Times Dispatch is careful 10
add that IL still believes the law 20
be proper and necessary. and thinks
that the trouble is largely due TO the
inexperienced conductors But the
fact IS that the whites are crowded.
while the seats for the others are
generally nearly empty. as the bulk
OF the Negroes are steadily boycot-
ting the car lines. Meanwhile. the
colOred people are enjoying the dis
comfort OF the whites just as they
are laughing at Senator Tillman's be
ing forced by a colored man 10 leave
an empty colored mems car and
stand. for miles. In a crowded car
for whites
TT the Evening Post really desires
correct information upon which 20
form its opinion. IL would De well TO
note the categorical statements that
the assignment of special seats for
the white and colored people I'm the
street cars has given entire salts
faction 90 both races: that the Ne
groes are not boycot-ing the street
cars on this account. that the law
has made for peace and good order.
that no city or State where the Ne
groes are in large numbers would
ever think for an instant of going
back 20 the old methods after this
one has been put in use.
SO far from the Jim Crow law
being an evil. which. in the words of
The PLANET. quoted by the Even
ing Post. is returning 90 plague IT'S
inventors. 10 is a provision of rec
ognized wisdom which is accepted
and followed with perfect good will
and complete accord by the rcspcc-
table and well-behaved members of
both races"
The Times Dispatch makes this
statement despite the fact that 70
had only a few days before published
an account Of the trouble between
streetcar conductor and United
States mail-carrier. The conductor
has been sent on 90 thc grand Jury
.ot the United States Court and vet
this journal declares that the law
gives entire satisfaction.
We naturally ana logically object
TO the Dispatch speaking for
ms when we are OF age and capable
.oi speaking for ourselves. The al.
titude of the white people may be
set forth and explained by our con-
temporary. but we aver that when
30 comes 90 the colored ones. we
should have the first right TO state
the facts and 90 express an opinion.
As matter of fact a meeting Of the
Representatives. conservative. lava
biding citizens was held in this city
at the True Reformers' Han and res
olutions were passed denouncing the
innovation.
This action has never been re- /
versed and the colorei people OF |
Richmond have never pa .ronized the
street-cars as they did before the
law was enacted. Those who ride
do so under protest.
If the Times Dispatch has any
doubt with reference to this matter
we will join in a call for another
meeting and have an unrestricted
expression Of opinion from the col.
ored people, coupled with resolutions
voicing the combined feelings OF
these eolored people upon this sub
ject The colOred people OF Lynch
burg are not patronizing the street
car lines. This testimony is not
hear-say for we have recently been
there and we have seen for ourselves
The same is true OF Newport News.
Va. and Hampton. Va.
Every journal of the colored PEG.
pie in this state has opposed the
Jim Crow" street-car law and we
are astounded 10 know that the
Times Dispatch has not taken the
pains TO inform itself on this sub.