Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-07-07
JIM CROW LAW.
world

JIM NAfOM Ia ~
We have often heard of the trite
saying. "bite on your nose to spite !
your face" and the Shakespearean
declaration hoist upon his own pc
tard." but we have never seen both !
more apuy illustrated than is shown
i'm the following open confession 10y
our esteemed and able daily contem-
p.orary. the Richmond. Va. Times
Dispatch Of July 18th, 1906. III
said:
Strange as it may seem the prac-'
teal working of the Jim Grow law
has been more annoying 90 the
white people than 20 the colored
There have been more white people
ordered around and made 20 change
their seats. sometimes without any
apparent reason, than there have
been colored people. This opinion
is not only the result of inquiry. but
experience The writer recently
boarded car in Richmond. and,
with FUN knowledge Of the require
ments of the law. TOOK his seat so
I as not TO violate it. as he supposed
/ The car was not az am crowded. at
I tine outside. there were not over one
or two colored people on &c. and the
white passenger appeared TO oe safe
within the legal limits. Tie had
been sitting moment when the
Young conductor touched him on his
shoulder and told him he would
have to- move AS there appeared
not the remotest occasion for this
disturbance of his quiet. 80 was
with some sense of indignation that
he got mp and moved 90 "a seat In
advance
We believe the principle Of the
law Is right-indeed. necessity
and that ir has I'm general result
worked we'll but the enforcement of
it has been left 90 young men who
sometimes nave either arbitrarily
ignorantly or carelessly DISCHARGED
/. their duties SO as 90 make them
selves obviously disagrceablc. 10 is
fair to saw that the majority OF TIE
conductors have been very polite
and considerable but it would Dee Sc
rs well for persons who are unne
cessarily and capriciously interfcrcc
with 90 report the offender 90 The
company.
We know the principle of the Law
90 Doe wrong. IL is class Legislation
b even though as alleged III works e
the embarrassment OF one class a
much as &c does 90 the other Th'
lequauty or inconvenience does no
Justify the law. God has SO ordain
ed &c that these evils return e
\ plague the inventors.
The Jim Grow" car law should
have been made local Institution
4 The crying bluuder" was made
when it was made the subjecs OF gel
eral legislation II local option VA
; best in the matter of the aaIe O
whiskoy the same rule SHOULD hav
'neld in the propagation and adop
! ton of the Jim Grow" stroet-ca
- nuisance.
e Colored people have been miscepr
sented. but ia is now being admirte
that they have shown no disposikiO
20 override the laws that whit
IS legislators enact for their discJu
u fort. They stood iva hundred an
nfty years OF slavery and have e.
10 perienced forty-one years OF opm-e
sion and misrepresentation. but the
IS are yet smiling and laboring for a
betterment Of themselves and Oh
state governments OF which theF a
l. part.
'e II the majority Of them, who, la
4 been patronizing the street-caEs
this section will connne their patr,
age 20 that accustomed by dire n
IL cessity. the pocket nerve u q
~ white men and the Negro-hatii
:. contingent will be touched and sol
al way will be found TO accord TO t
D. tax-paying, law abiding. well-b
iy haved Negroes all of the rights a
81 privileges guaranteed under I
re laws OF this country.
is II may be we'll to remark.
ist white folks are kicking" VIII
.. they are permitted TO ride anywh'
am on the street-cars from the "cC
,st catcher" to the tail-end couple
to certainly the colored brother {
console himself with a broad sn
" as he contently hooks down at
i'm brick pressing" big feet that ca
len him majestically along to the
re- of his journey.
Truly say the Scriptures:
BOD
be- Whose causes the righteous
zen go astray in an evil way, he S.
de fall himself into bis own pit"
9th
ave -------------