The Washington bee., 1911-03-11
Ey-MiniSter Lyons
MiSTeDreSenfed
Always Opposed SeEreGa-
TiOu
A MALICIOUS CHARGE RE-
FUTED.
His Address Before the City Council.
Unconstitutional Declared Mr..

UncOnSututional DCCIdICo NIL
Lyon.
DR.. Ernest Lyon, former United
States Minister to Liberia, with 9th
ers, appeared before the City Council
Of Baltimore City March TO pro-
test against the passage OF the West
segregation ordinance.
As citizens and taxpayers of the city
and State, we avail ourselves of the
opportunity which you have granted
rs to record our protest against the
passage of the West segregation or
dinanCe, for the following potent Tea
sons, to wit;
because it IS unconstitutional
Because it IS unjust to the black
man.
because it is unjust to the repu-
tation of the city .,
because it stirs up unnecessarily
bad fefeling among the two races.
Speaking of the first, we believe the
measure to be unconstitutional, and II
allowed to become a law will deprive
the colored people, as citizens and tax
payers, of rights and privileges guar
anteed by the Constitution OF the
United States. 1t is great wrong Tor
any class of citizens because OF nu-
merical strength TO take advantage OF
the other class because OF numerical
weakness and so deprive them oil
rights and privileges which are not
denied 10 others
We have every reason to beleVe
that the measure IN question IS aimed
at the colored man, although the White !
man Is bound to suffer largely from
the reaction OF its enforcement, III
It becomes a law. 1t IS extremely !
doubtful if similar legislation would |
be introduced in this Council against
any other race IN the community, eN-
cept the COlOred race And why Isl
this2 Surely, not because he repre- |
sents either the worst or the most
improbable element IN the commu- |
nitv. but because he is numerically |
weak and has tbs misfortune 70 be OF |
d different political faith. It Is a po- |
litical measure, designed as an IN |
Fiction of punishment upon defense
less victims, whose only Ottense IS that
they have adhered too closely to the
political traditions OF their fathers. |
1t is not a measure designed 10 ana
a struggling race, but rather TO crush
its aspirations and to deprive 1t OF san
itarv conveniences III its domestic en-
QedVOTS, WHICH Will DC iiiiPOo9AD'N a.
this measure becomes law.
Second, it is unjust to the colored
people who in every way have shown
themselves to be'thrltty and 1ndustri-
ous citizens. In few cities III the
Union, if any, can better record be
shown in race progress and develop
ment. In his ownership of real eS-
tate. in his moral and religious endeav-
i r>&I.. x-saTaf far
and as a factor in labor he has won
his right TO recognition and tar play
IN those things which are the common
heritage Of American citizens. He IS |
quite willing to stand or to fall on
the record he IS making in these di- ]
rections Directly he pays taxes on
more than S4,5oo.ooo real and personal
estate. He owns 100000 in church |
property Indirectly he contributes an
appreciable sum TO the tax levles OF |
the landlords by rentals
The colored people IN the city, at |
the minimum average of SI2 per Cap-I
ita. spend with the white merchants |
annually from two to two and half
millions of dollars for subsistence, to |
vsav nothing of other expenditures, !
VSuch as clothing, transportation, |
amusement, etc His earnings, de-
posited in city savings banks, aggre- |
eating a neat sum, help to swell the
dividends of these institutions. In pro-
fessional life there are 20 graduated |
physicians, II lawyers, 300 public |
school teachers, 1920 school children, |
ro5 ministers of the gospel, two instl-
tutions of collegiate grade-namely, |
Morgan College, under the auspices
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, |
and CLAYTON Williams Institute, under |
The control of the Baptist denOmIna- |
tion There are 500 business men, |
consisting of merchants. contractors, |
builders. undertakers, printers, artl-
sans. etc. and eight Journals. This |
i but a brief statement of some facts |
relating to the status OF the colOred |
man i'm Baltimore City, which | am
uuite sure contributes TO his credit |
and renders unnecessary any such |
LEGISLATION on the false ground that he /
i = thriftless and Improbable CIti-t
zen Does not this element deserve |
some consideration at the hands of the |
CITY fathers without regard TO political |
9hiliatiOn and race connection:
Third. the measure IS unjust to the
reDutatiOn of the city of Baltimore |
from the viewpoint OF capital 1t
makes Baltimore an undesirable place |
for the investment of capital. 1t would |
appear from these constant agltations
that the city is in danger and IS sut-
fering from racial troubles. Surely. |
no capitalist would want to invest his
money in such a center where there Is |
likely to be race troubles. These are
some of the chief reasons why capital
IS giving Baltimore the black eye. Be |
fore the agitation of these measures,
so unjust to the black man and to the
city of Baltimore, the former has al
ways prided himself, at home and
abroad, upon the friendly and peaceful
relations which existed between the |
two races in Baltimore, as we'll as
the liberality of the white people in |
their support of every laudable en-
deavor which had as its object the