The Washington herald., 1909-06-30
NEGROES LOSE CASE
Commission Says Southern
Roads Act Within Law.
DISCRIMINATION NOT SHOWN
Makes Report On Complaint of Five
Bishops of the African NJ. z.
Church, Who Claimed They Were
Denied Privileges Accorded the
White People of the south.

The Interstate Commerce Commission
handed down decision yesterday in the
case Of FIVE bishops OF the African Meth
odist Episcopal Church. In which 1t was
alleged the Southern railroads IN general
Disseminated against negro passengers.
The complaint OF the bishops was sub
mitted first 70 President Roosevelt last
summer. and he referred Il 90 the Inter
state Commerce Comission, later infor-
mally suggesting 20 the commission that
a comprehensive investigation be made Of
the manner in which negroes were treated
BY Southern carriers.
The Commission made an exhaustive in
vestigation and gave extended hearings.
It developed the fact that il is not the
policy Of Southern carriers or the Pull
man Company TO discriminate against ne
gro passengers. and in It's opinion II was
held that discrimination or prejudice has
not been shown" and ordered the dis
missal OF the complaint.
The Roads Affected.
This complaint was brought against the
Seaboard Air Line Railroad. the Rich
mond. Frederick and Potomac Railroad,
the Southern Railway. and the Central
Railway OF Georgia, and the Pullman
Company on interstate trafac between At
lanta and Washington, Atlanta and Nor
folk. Norfolk and Richmond, and similar
long distance journeys.
The complaint set forth three separate
particulars IN which Il is alleged the de-
PENDANTS discriminate against negro pas
sengers. these being the character and
condition OF the passenger coaches fur
nished for the negro passengers are not
equal 10 the accommodations provided for
white travellers; that descendants. OF the
African race are denied sleeping car ac-
commodations by the defendants either By
refusing 20 sell negroes tickets for such
Accommodations or by denying negroes
holding such ticket the right to OCCUPY
and use the space called for by such tick
ets, and tnat defendants refuse passengers
o. The African race access 10 dining cars.
and refuse TO furnish such passengers
food and refreshment solely because of
their race and color
In the opinion the commission saws
that the first charge concerning ordinary
/ passenger coaches was so completely
oisproved by the evidence II was aban-
/ cOned.
Indeed" SAYS the commission. care
ful examination OF the evidence justfaes
a further exOneratiOn OF the defendants
( IN this regard, for it shows that not
only are the day coach accommoda-
tons offered colored passengers equal
/ 70 those furnished white travellers. but
that IN most cases actually the same
| equipment is used to-day for colored
and tomorrow f0r white passengers
[ and considering the relative proportions
OF white and colored passengers. more
space is provided the colOred than the
white traveller"
Did Not Discriminate
The commission also found that the
carriers and the Pullman Company did
not discriminate against negroes IN eat
ing accommodations. but always included
them on the third call for dinner. and
this IN view OF the relative small num-
Der OF them. and the fact that they
could have food served to them IN their
seats at any time was perfectly reason
able
The evidence Is convincing" says the
commission. that none Of the defendants
has any rule or regulation. either as 10
sleeping or eating accommodations, for
colored passengers that discriminate IN
duly against the black man and IN favor
/ OF the white"
The commission also direct attention 70
| the laws OF the various Southern States,
which require segregation Of the negro
! travellers. and Of the obligation resting
on the carriers 70 obey these laws on
] pain OF fines- Figures accompanies
I the opinion show the relatively small
number OF negro passengers. During q
] 81 ~ fCrH -
Seaboard Air Line made an actual coun,
/ OF Pullman passengers. there were 5.36,
I white and thlrty-three colored psssen-
( gers, or less than two-uhirds OF ! pei
/ cent: over the Southern Railway the av-
/ erage proportion Of negro 70 white pas
/ sengers without regard TO Pullman o.
/ day coaches, between Washington Gno
/ Atlanta. was stated 10 be one IN 100
/ n- n-a-tA-tk % r.a- cent