Gilpin observer., 1908-02-27
NO jim CROW
FOR CAPITAL
SEPARATE CAR QUESTION RAISES
FIERCE DEBATE IN THE
HOUSE.
FINALLY VOTED DOWN
SHARP SPEECHES ON BOTH SIDES
OCCASION LAUGHTER AND
APPLAUSE.

Washington.-The race question
came to the surface in the house Sat
urday when Mr.. Heflin of Alabama Of
fered an amendment to the District of
Columbia street railway trackage bill
providing for lin crow" cars Mr..
Heflin declared that separate coaches
for the whites and blacks had solved
the race problem in Alabama, and he
expressed the opinion that such an ar
rangement would solve it in Washing
ton
Mr.. Foster of Vermont voiced his
protest against the amendment, and
said that it was regrettable that on the
birthday of George Washington such
an un-American proposition" should be
advanced
Does my friend believe Washington
himself would vote for this amend
ment If he was here?" inquired Mr..
Griggs of Georgia, amid laughter.
"Emphatically no. responded Mr..
Foster.
The amendment was bitterly fought
by Mr.. Madden of Illinois, who as
serted that Congress should never leg
islate in favor of one element against
another.
He was twitted by Mr. Griggs, who
inquired of him if he remembered the
shotgun quarantine established by
Gov. Tanner against negroes"
Mr.. Madden responded that he never
conceded the right of the governor to
act as he did
By this time number of Southern
members were vainly seeking recoSni-
tion.
(Which race does the amendment
discriminate against" inquired Mr..
Humphreys of Mississippi, who first
got the chairman's eye.
Il don't concede the right of the gen
tleman to ask such question:" Mr..
Madden replied. at which the Demo
Gratis derisively laughed.
Mr.. Humphreys insisted that the
amendment provided equal but sepa
rate accommodations. He provoked
Democratic laughter and applause
when he said, pointing to the men,
bers in the galleries, that although the
Republicans were the friends OF the
negroes. he could not see any members
of the African race in those galleries.
Has the gentleman ever issued
any cards to the members gallery TO n
negro?" asked Mr.. Griggs. insistently.
Yes, sir" Mr. Madden replied, "and
/ will be glad TO do so again.
1t remained, however for Mr.. Camp
bell of Kansas to arouse the interest
OF the house on the subject. He de-
Tended the negroes of Washington, and
said he never noticed anything often
sive on their part on street cars.
MIR. Campbell said he would regard
it as an evil day when Congress would
create class distinction.
A voice was heard to say that the
Republicans were after negro votes.
This inhamed Mr.. Campbell, who de-
clared 1t to be "a shame to the gentle
man from Alabama and his party that
there are thousands of colored men in
his state and in the south who have no
vote"
Laughter was brought down upon
him when, after stating that Kansas
guaranteed the rights and privileges
of every citizen. Mr.. Bartlett of Georgia
read a dispatch stating that Booker
Washington had been denied hotel ac-
commodations at Wichita Kan.
Mr.. Campbell took the matter seri-
ously and declared that II the dispatch
was true and Washington had the time
to give to an action in the court, the
hotel keeper could be made defendant
in an action for damages and he added
amid shouts of laughter, the prob
abilities are the hotel man was Dem
ocrat from Alabama or Georgia"
THE Democrats from Alabama or
Georgia" interjected Mr.. Bartlett of
Georgia, don't go to Kansas very Of
ten"
And they don't stay Democrats
when they do CO." was Mr.. Campbell's
quick retort.
The house was thrown into an up
road when Mr.. Simms, Tennessee. af-
ter urging the members to get back on
the railway bill, said
Lets thresh the negro question out
llter, even II we have to thresh each
other out"
Debate on the question was brought
to close by Mr.. Smith of Michigan,
declaring that the amendment, II
adopted. would drive the street rail
ways into bankruptcy.
The amendment was defeated, 140 to
IS.