The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-02
nrprcuLoUs wAssAcHusErrs.

of the action of the Massachusetts Leg i islature on the question of making an appropriation for representation at the Jamestown Exposition next year. The original appropriation was s75,oo0. we believe, but it was cut down to s5o.ooo. Then a Senator offered an amendment to the effect that before the Cover nor should appoint the commission he must be reasonably satisfied that all citizens of Massachusetts. without dis- I tinction, who attend the Exposition shall be treated without discrimination. substantially the same as if the ex- position were to be held in Massachu- setts
 That amendment was the cause of our Norfolk contemporary's explosion. and it does it this way:
 When the Lower House of the Mas sachusetts Legislature cut down the town Exposition from $7s,Oo0 to s5o,- fanatics and demagosues who dragged | the race question into the discussion,
 1t was with dificulty that virginians | in terms of strong resentment. How shown by the majority in refusing to { tors and professional negroes" that no appropriation whatever be made. or that the bill be practically nullifIed by the addition of impossible or insulting amendments, little was said.
 But last Tuesday the Senate of Mas. | sachusetts attached to the bill 2 pro- viso that the approprition shall not be available until the Governor of the State shall be satisfied that citizens of Massachusetts will be treated as well In Virginia as in their own State Any appropriation which Massachusetts makes under such condition should be hurled back In her face. Virginia nave tho State of Massachusetts as her guest at the Exposition. The Oid Dominion Is not accustomed to taking The Landmark voices the sentiments I of all true Virginians when It says l that unless Massachusetts can omclat~ | Iy participate in the Exposition Tn the same decent manner as other states 1 which have accepted Virginia,s hos pitality. Massachusetts can take her running It's government under the ceu- 1 sorship of the Hon. Curtis Guild, JF... | howe capable that gentleman may I We do not believe that the people of I Massachusetts approve of the offensive conduct of their State Senate In this 1 amendment is stricken from the arpro.. priatiofl bill. their government will l have offered Virginia a discourtesy ate of Massachusetts refuses to forego | the insult, the House should kill the bill containing it.
 Of course this amendment was att l tached to the bill as sop to the ne- l grophobists of Boston. but mainly as d morsel to the negro voters of the State. Massachusetts has not large negro voting population but there are enough of them to be considered worth reckoning with and coddling; hence the amendment. the purport of which cannot be misunderstood. The senators acted on the assumption that negro visitors will not be treated in all re- spects just as the whites are. It was a gratuitous insult for Massachusetts to attempt to dictate to Virginia how
 guests should be treated, and it was a further insult to tell Virginia that they must show the same deference and attention to negroes that they show to the whites. We do not blame
 The Landmark for showing temper.
 The Washington Times understands
 that the Senate finally rejected the
 amendment to which we have alluded,
 and thinks it should have been rejected mot, understand, on the ground that
 it was insulting to Virginia and the
 Virginians, but because 1t would place
 the Governor of Massachusetts In a
 very embarrassing position, inasmuch
 as 1t would require him to decide l
 and If not, to so notify the Governor
 of Virginia. In case he decided that negroes were being discriminated
 against in any way it would then be- come his duty to so inform the mana
 gers of the Exposition. That might have made matters still more unples. ant.
 The Boston Transcript, which knows how to talk sense, thinks such an amendment would make the State of Massachusetts ridiculous, an insult to Virginia and a reproach to Ehe State
 that would place itself in such a DO.
 sition before the country. Then it makes this suggestion:
 Virginia might .retaliate by pre-
 products could be exhibited at James
 town which were made in factories
 where equal industrial opportunities
 would be afforded to any citizen of
 Virginia, without reference to race or
 color, who might come here seeking
 work"
 Such prescription would set Massa-
 chusetts back somewhat. but Virginia
 does not wish to retaliate. If such
 a condition should be attached to the
 Massachusetts appropriation the proper
 thing for Virginia to do would be to
 treat the appropriation as tainted
 money" and refuse to accept a dollar
 of it. But whatever is done the old Bay State has made itself ridiculous.