The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-07-19
THE RACE PROBLEM IN THE SOUTH

IHE RACE FNO6LEM TN ne SOO1 10
The recent decision of the Inter
state Commerce Commission that
white and colored passengers may
be separated in interstate travel
without violation of the constitution
is satisfactory alike to the section it
affects and the best sentiment on the
subject throughout the country.
Some time since it will be remem-
bered that our own Court of Appeals
decided that interstate travellers
could not be segregated under the
provisions of our own State law,
but in the present case the commits
sion has decided that it may be done
provided there is no discrimination
in the facilities furnished to both
races.
In rendering its decision the Com
mission says: "The broad question
of the right under the thirteenth and
fourteenth Amendments of the Con-
stitution to segregate white and
colored passengers has been upheld
by the Supreme Court OF the United
States"
Accepting these decisions as con-
elusive upon the constitutionalty of
such laws, we turn to the considera-
ton of the reasonableness of such a
rule when imposed by the carrier,
and this we find to have been passed
upon by this commission within a
few months of its organization in
the case of Council vs.. Western and
Atlantic Railroad Company, which
was decided December 3, 1887. Mr..
Commissioner Morrison, speaking
for the unanimous commission,
therein said:
Public sentiment, wherever the
colored population slarge, sanctions
and requires this separation of races,
and this was recognized by counsel
representing both complainant and
defendant at the hearing. We can
not, therefore, say that there is any
undue prejudice or unjust preference
in recognizing and acting upon this
general sentiment, providedit is done
on fair and equal terms. This sepa-
ration may be carried out on rail-
road trains without disadvantage
to their race and with increased COM
fort to BOTH"
If the indisputable logic of this de
cision were recognized throughout
the country in discussing the negro
question in it's broadest sense, its
solution would not be difficult The
commission, whose carefully pre-
pared decisions have all the force of
law,recognizes the unquestioned force
of public sentiment where the
colored population is large" and if
this same sentiment were deferred to
in the general solution of the negro
question it would soon be solved.
In other words it is not subject
which can be treated at long range;
just as surely as public sentiment"
does not desire separate cars where
there are few negroes, just so surely
this same"public sentiment" requires
them where they are numerous. In
fact any one who travels for the first
time south of Washington is unable
to see how separate cars could be
dispensed with.
1t is time for the north TO concede
that the race problem must be solved
where it exists,-in the south. With
scarcely an exception when a
northern citizen goes into the south
and actually lives there for a reason
able time he frankly agrees that his
eyes have been opened, and he be-
comes a warm advocate OF southern
views on the subject.
Under the most favorable circum-
stance its tedious solution will be
long delayed and all good citizens
should desire not to prolong the
struggle needlessly by the utterances
of sectional demagogues.