Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-08-20

Appeals of Virginia are good enough
for us.
Article 1. Section 1 reads:
That all men are by nature equal
W free and independent. and have
certain inherent rights, of which,
when they enter into a state OF so
ciety. they cannot, by any compact.
~eprive or divest their posterity:
namely. the enjoyment OF life and
liberty. with the means OF acquiring
and possessing property. and pursu-
ing and obtaining happiness and
safety"
10 seems 90 as that this covers the
Newport News case. As Mayor Jones
is sworn 20 support this section of
the Constitution OF Virginia. it was
his duty 20 find way TO do it and
not 90 send a gentleman of Mr. Shep-
herd hind and calibre TO hunt some
one 90 tell him his rights in the
premises. But then. Mayor Jones
knows more law than the writer. GER
tainiy DE should know more ana we
are interested 90 know by what pro
cess he hopes 90 protect the lives OF
the colored citizens and The property
OF the white citizens i'm his commu-
nifty. Section @ of this same Coustitu-
tonal article reads:
That government is. or ought TO
De. instituted for the common bene-
fit. protection and security OF the
people. nation or community. of an
the various modes and forms of gov
eminent. that is best. which Is ca
pable of producing the greatest de-
gree OF happiness and safety. and is
most cEectually secured against the
danger OF maladmiuistration. and
whenever amy government shall Dee
purposes. "a majority of the commu-
nifty hath am indubitable. iuaHeuable
and irdcteasible right 90 reform. al
Ger or abolish it iu such manner as
shall le judged most conducive TO
public veal
Dc seems Co us that this section too
should apply to- 1he Newport News
case Tho safety of the citizen. re-
gardlcss OF race OF color is recognized
to be of primary importance. Let MS
suppose that lavless parties had
placarded the residences of the white
people iu the fashionable part of
Newport Ncvs. Suppose that com
plant had been made 90 the Mayor
and Co thee City Attorney. who Dee
Hovcs that he would have told these
citizens 90 get O. lawyer or consult
once The first thing these white men
would have done would Dee to- employ
"a repeating rifle and O. repeating shot
gun and the next miscreaut found
placardiug houses with threats of
dire destruction 60 the white citizens
did not move out would have got
Ten jhc contents OF one or both OF
them. and who can blame theme
This is the way that white men
act and this is why The race today
stands at the top of the ladder OF
great peoples OF the civilized world.
Self reliance is great asset Those
colored foiss who decided 90 remain
ON the other side of the dead line
in Newport News especially when
white people invited them TO remain
there and other white people invited
them Co get out viii aid in solving a
great problem. We do not advise this
wholesale moving into white local..
ties for the sake OF causing trouble.
There is uo sense in doing this.
but where living conditions are such
as TO necessitate the broadening out
OF the residential lines in a commu-
nifty and white men encourage it. let
colored people aud their ground and
give and take the consequences. II
the Mayor of the city cannot find
way 90 protect the black as well as
the white residents OF a community.
the law permits either class TO pro-
tect themselves. Amy lawyer. removed
as much as three degrees from
shysJer knows this and il only re-
quires a little nerve and practice 10
sleep as soundly in one OF these
houses on one side OF the dead
line" as on the other.