The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-14
Against Jim Grow,
X. Law IA. !. \: !.
A Large Delegation of Col:
ored Citizens Protest to
! Committee Against
Evans Bill /~

citizens OF Charleston and other cit
les In the state. were present In the
room OF the House Judiciary COM
mitteez Friday night ito give their
moral support and encourage the
three speakers who had been chosen
to protest to the committee against
any action whatever upon the Evans
= Jim Grow pill, known as House Bill
g., No. 18, IL. ...' .-a F..
Once it was ready to be reported
back to the house without recon-
- ~mendaion., Persuasion was used on
the Mingo delegate and he allowed
dt. to go back to the committee for
reconsideration at the request or
chairman Naylor> who stated there
were several delegates not present
at that session Of the committee,
who wished to be heard on the sub
ject. ..... ....-~
~ Chairman Naylor went to his home
at Wheeling to spend a few days
and when he returned he found the
bin had been acted upon and the
committee Shad decided to report 1t
Asback TO the house with the recon-
"mendation that 1t do pass. It Is said
that he promised the colored people
q hearing on the bill and when he
returned made arrangements to&hear
them before 1t was reported back.
The first protestant was State LII
brarian S" w. Starks, who in a mas
terly and convincing way presented
the case or the people he represent
ed. He showed the committee what
q hardship the passage OF the btll
would work upon the $4,000 Negroes
OF the state, who would be made to
suffer FOR the actions Of few; that
the NQorng LOT tonic nDp t0 twnn.
ty OF that of the state and that the
necessity Of snch'a repressiYe meas,
ure could not be urged upon the
same grounds as In states having q
much larger proportion OF colored
peopla. The recital OF ndignitias to
which. ile sssFs ssEa en- 8of ,the o. T ace would
be subj together as
the bill pr8sttap apedS hfidt the humiita-
zion every black SmBtl, who ls atr1y-
Z. ing agaihBG gEsaf odds to better his
condition, would feel, If the bill be-
came a law, made an evident i'm
preston upon the committee and
others who heard MT. Starks. 49,,
' President j. McHenry Jones, Of
the West Virginia Colored Institute,
scored the Republicans severely for
making 1t necessary for the Negro, to
appeal for what Is accorded to every
other race without question, He
thought their actions as regard the
bill savored of the basest tngratf-
tude, In that 1t was by the Negro
votes that the State had been placed
and kept in the Republican ranks. He
stated to the committee that the
bill was trying to fasten upon the
colored people something that the
Democratic party In their 25 years
Of rule In the state had refused time
and again TO pass He said that men
like Governor .MacCorkle, the Chf&S
tons, John s, Naylor and Col. O'Rrie~ :
and other great leaders Of the Demo-
cratic party were too -knightly to re-
tard a. humble and helpless people
In their attempts to rise to full cit1-
zenship. Such bills as Evans, he
said, were offered when the Demo-
cratic party was In power but in not
single instance were they allowed
to get out OF the committee rooms:
For the first time In the history Of
the Republican party bill was Of
fered against equality before the law
FOR all men, and 1t comes with bad
grace from the house OF our friends.
Mr. Jones asserted, FOR when before
IN the history OF party politics has
one part OF q great party attempted
to humiltate another part Of its faith
full adherents. .'
The law Is bad" continued Mr..
Jones, from. political standpoint,
and nothing fs to be gained from its
passage. 1T Will not bring any
strength from the opposition, be-
cause men are pot attracted to q par
ty that forsakss its lifetime position.
Such law will discourage the party
because 1t Will discourage 900 of
Its loyal adherents, for who would
not prefer an open enemy to a doubt
ful half hearted friend?
. =, AS class legislation 1T Is uncon-
stitutional 1t has been the, pride Of