The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-23
Mayor Will Enforce
 New Law. COMPANY WILL IGNORE IT Mr. Ragland Says Compliance is
 Impossible. Police chlef Directed to Arrest Evers vloIssor of ordinance for sepa- ration of Races on Car. After
 o'so O'Clock shi~
 Morning.
WILL IGNORE IT

The Montgomery Traction Company announces that 1t cannot comply with the separate street car ordinance.
 The Mayor of Montgomery amour ces that the separate s@eet ear ordi- nance will be enforced to the letter. beginning at S:30 o'clock this moru. ing.
 This is the situation iii the imhrog lio between the city and the Traction Company over the ordinance requiring separate street car accommodations for the white and black races, which became effective at one minute pa st midnight this morning. In order, that the large number of business men, workingmen, clerks and mechanics, who are compelled to reach their pl', ces of business at set hour in the morning. may not be seriously discom- moded by any arrests the police may make of motOrmen and conductors on the street cars, Mayor Teague last evening, in his letter of instructions to Chief of Police Taylor, des- ignated 9:30 o'clock this morning as the hour when the active enforcement of the ordinance should begin.
 Mayor TeaEue Talks.
 That hour" said the Mayor. in dis cussing this phase of the question, will permit all the working men of the city to reach their respective places of
 
 held up by the police. should there prove to be any trouble. We are going to enforce the ordinance to the letter, but with as little inconvenience to the public as possible"
 No instructions were sent to Chief of Police Taylor until late yesterday after noon. the Mayor waiting until he should receive the opinion of City Att torney Mcintyre as to the time that the ordinance should go Into effect. This opinion was to the effect that. nothing being contained in the ordi- nance to the contrary, 1t became effec- tive immediately. The opinion in full follows.
 Montgomery. Ala, Nov. 22, 1908. Hon. w. NJ. Teague, Mayor, City.
 Dear Sir-An ordinance. unless it provides otherwise, goes into effe t upon it's approval, and publication. The ordinance requiring separate cars for the two races has been passed by the Council, has been published, and therefore, under the charter has be- come the law of the city.
 'I cannot say that this ordinance Is in excess of the powers of the City Council, and know no reason why it should not be enforced.
 T remain, very truly,
 "C. P. Mcintyre,
 "City Attorney"
 The Mayor thereupon sent com" munication to the Chief o Police, ad- vising him officially that the ordinance becomes effective this morning, and in- strucfing him as to the manner of carrying its provisions into effect. These instructions provide for lenfen- cy in enforcing the ordinance. if th= Traction Company officials manifest desire to comply with the ordinance. but are that if no such desire or wii- lingness for compliance is shown, that the police are to arrest ea2h and ev- cry violator, not only Cnee but as often as violations are detected"
 Letter to Police Chief.
 The letter of Mayor Teague to Chief Taylor is in full as follows:
 Montgomery, Ala, Nov. 22, 1906. "Captain W. H. Taylor. Chief of Po-
 lice, Montgomery Alabama
 Dear Sir--For your information, enclose copy of the ordinance provid- ing separate accommodations for the white and colored races in all street cars operated within the city of Montgomery. This goes into effect to- morrow.
 'sWhiIe I will expect you and sub ordinate members of the police de- partment to properly enforce this law, impartially and without discrimina- tion, the law does not contemplate compelling the impossible and 1t is not the intention to subject citizens of Montgomery to any unnecessary in- convenience and annoyance. In other words, it is essential to peace and or- der, and to the proper comfort of our citizens, to execute this measure with judgment and discretion, for the present at least This should not be interpreted to mean that any ieniency. or undue consideration should be ac- corded the Traction Company any more than 1t should be shown any other violator of ordinances enacted by the City Council nor that they will be permitted to evade any of the pro- visions or requirements of the meas ure.
 If the officials and employees of the