Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-02-14

full heart, 20, America! with all
thy faults, we love thee STILL"
?. 6. COOPER, ! Committee.
G. PHELPS, y
ATTORNEY GEO. n. WooDsoN AD-
DRESSES LEGISLATORS ON
jim cRoWlsM. ~
At :ie hearing on the Crow Bill
before the Senate Judiciary Commit
tee on last Tuesday afternoon. Atty.
Geo. Fl. Woodson, Chairman Legisla-
tive Committee of the Iowa Negro
Bar Assn, spoke as follows: IL.
hope 1t will please the Honorable
Chairman and Members of this Com
mittee to hear me with patience while
l suggest and try to make plain to the
Committee, and through them to the
Assembly, If need be, just few rea-
sons which In my judgment make this
bill unnecessary and improper at this
time, and which more than justify me,
as one Of the citizens of this state, in
requesting the Committee to refrain
from reporting such bill, and, II
compelled to report it, to do so with
the strongest adverse comment which
the Committee can possibly give in
their recommendation that 1t be not
passed; and, lest I overlook some Of
the main points in somewhat ey-
tended argument, If shall be moved
to make such, desire in the begin
ming to point out briefly the following
among the reasons which 1t seems to
me more than justify my request for
asking the Committee to give unfay-
orable consideration to this measure:
The two races in Iowa have always
gotten along we'll, and we have been
able to maintain the most harmonious
relations and feelings of good fellow
ship between the better class of
whites and the better class of co]ored
Iowa citizens. With our best citizen
ship there has never been any tend
ency to encourage intermarriages be-
tween the races On the contrary, 1t
has been repeatedly stated, publicly
and privately, that no such relations
were welcome or desirable either on
the part OF the better whites or the
better blacks of this state. That being
the rule and the unwritten law OF the
state. then let me ask:
l. What good can possibly come
from the enactment of this proposed
measure?
2. When there is no demand and
has been no discussion for such a
measure anywhere In any Of the public
forums Of Iowa. what justiflable ex-
cuse or reason can be given for the
presentation of this Bill in House and
Senate for the consideration OF the
Legislature of this state?
3. Is 1t not known that the source
Of the demand for this legislation
grows out of we'll known conspir.
acy which has for years been main.
tanned in this Union for the purpose
of fostering measures unfriendly to
the black race and as hindrance to
their progress? g.
A. Would not such law multiply,
rather than minimize, the evil of race
mixture?
5. Even though we may all deplore
the evil OF race mixture. is not the
cost in good public sentiment alone
which the state would sacrifice by a
return TO such hostile class legisla-
tion against q defenseless, patriotic
class of its citizens entirely too great
for any good that We may ever hope
to derive. from the measure itself?
6. Can the great liberty loving
white women and men of Iowa afford
to announce to all the sister states
and the nation of these United States
and the world that Iowa, in the year
Of grace one thousand nine hundred
and thirteen, started the enactment
OF series Of offensive black laws?
Z. Can this measure be claimed as
an act Of progress or a measure of
reaction for the Th.rty.fifth General
Assembly, and would not the passage
of this bill mark its sitting as the be.
ginning OF legislation which tends at
least to lay an unfavorable straw Of
sentiment en- the shoulders OF an i'll |
favored, Christian, patriotic, defense |
less people, who have shown and are
showing such splendid efforts In their
desire to rise to higher and better
.-% ..r e.. ~
s. Why should the people of Iowa
be asked to lend the aid of their Leg
islature every two years to the enact
ment Of hostile measures proposed and
from outside the state and
urged only by the conspiracy OF the
Tillman- Dixon-Vardaman kind in their
efforts to outlaw and Cypress men,
hers and descendants of the African
or black race? q " &%
8. How does it happen that this
bill, like the Infamous secret order
bill of the Thirty-feurth General AS
semhly, has been introduced in near
~ every northern and western state
at about the same time?
10. Have the Right Honorable
Gentlemen Of this Committee and Of !
his Assembly taken the care to- con-
suit the high class white ladies' of |
iowa as to their feelings for the need
of such legislation?
H. happen to know. and my du-
ties bring me into contact and assO-
ciaton with some Of the best white
ladies' Of this city and state u have
the names of fifty, white ladies' in
Iowa, and one from southern lady,
al wives OF white men in the highest
learned and honorable professions,
and every one OF these denounce this
~ = UNNECESSARY " not a reflection
upon the virtue and, integrity Of their
even have their permits
sion to use their names, but Irefrain
from doing SO because Of my. high re.
"ard for them end the fear, that nam.
Ing them might provoke kind or
and comment that would
cause me to push my black fist into
some Pentleman,s fare.
II. Will the enactment Of this bill
Increase or diminish the rising tide
Of race hatred within the borders Of
cur state !? 5s
"a. Are the white men o., this state