The Colorado statesman., 1911-05-27
CAUSE FOR ALARM.
Kansas City, Mo-, May %. II.

| Kansas City, Mo-, May %, IL.
Mr.. Editor,
My Dear Sir:
| | see a great cause for alarm; | no.
tice in recent years that several states
have passed state laws discriminating
against us as a race, which prohibit
us from holding positions as train
porters on passenger trains. The laws
that have been passed by several of
the states as / understand, reads thus
"All passenger trains that have two
passenger cars or more, shall be re-
quired to have one conductor and one
brakeman and one white flagman; the
several states that passed these laws
are Indiana, Nebraska and California.
The Kansas law reads, that all pas
senger trains of five cars or more,
shall be required to have two white
brakemen or flagmen; while it is a
fact, that the laws are unconstitution-
al and contrary to the interstate COM
merce laws of the United States and
also unfair to us as race, yet 1t is
having its effect in the above named
states-that men of our race cannot
hole a position as train porter ON ac-
count of the above law in California
The officers of the coast lines of the
great Santa Fe system is dispensing
IFS train porters, which they have hau
for wears, for white brakemen.
NY dear editor, | am making an APP
peal to our people throughout the
United States; are we, as a race Oh
people, who have ever been loyal 10
our country, and true to It's constltu-
tior, and who have done as much lor
our flag as any American citizen, are
going to sit still and let the prejudlced
labor unions, which are composed o.
white people, and which are opposed
to us as a race, and which send their
wealth and representatives to these
several state legislatures to nave laws
passed against us, as race, from nav
ing chance at the bread-winher
NY dear editor, | am not politician
and | have no desire to be, Dut am
appealing to all men of my race In
all walks of life.
am a railroad employe. and have
been for twenty-five years and | thinK
that this matter should concern us an;
If the prejudiced white can have the
Influence to go to the state leSlsla-
tures throughout the United states,
and have laws passed against us from
holding as humble a position as tram
norter. they are bold enough, and the
next move they will make Is
TO have switch-laws enacted anu
passed to prohibit us, as race,
from holding SITUATION do
as chauffeur or any other job that has
any mechanical significance; so my
dear sir. | think that we should get
alarmed at such actions of our preju-
diced white brother and get together
as a race throughout the western
country and see if we cannot DO some
thing to stop this class-legislating that
is being done against us as a race.
Nv dear sir, think you can readiS
see through my few remarks that the
preiudiced white man is trying his
best to undermine us and put us INTO
the background of civilization; l VIII
suggest that we can mass meetings
oyer all this country, as the time ls
at hand for some kind of action to be
taken, and this matter should be as
cussed until we come to some conclu-
sion as to what is best to do for the
interest of all concerned
Yours with the greatest respect,
C. A. FOX,
A well known train porter of the San
ia E'e system.