Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-02-07

HON. GEO. H. wooDsoN, BUXTON, IA.
passed; and, lest I overlook some of
the main points in somewhat ex.
tended argument, II 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 Tor
asking the Committee to- give unfav-
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 colored
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:
1. 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
measure anywhere in any Of the public
forums of Iowa, what justif1able ex-
cuse or reason can be given 1or the
presentation of this Bill in House and
Senate for the consideration OF the
Legislature of this state?
8. Is it not known that the source
of the demand for this legislation
grows out of a well known consp1r-
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?
4. Would not such a law multiply,
rather than minimize, the evil OF race
mixture?
S. 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-
ton against a 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 Thirty-f1fth 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 on the shoulders OF an Ill
favored, Christian, patriotic, defense
less people, who have shown and are
showing such splendid efforts in their
desire to rise to higher and better
things? ~
8. 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 ana
originated from outside the state and
urged only by the conspiracy Of the
Tillman-D -Dixon-V Vardaman kind in their
efforts to outlaw and oppress mem
bers and descendants OF the African
OF. black race? $s.
9. How does it happen that this
bill like the infamous secret order
bill OF the Thirty-fourth General AS
sembly, has been introduced in near
ly every northern and western state
at about the same time?
TO-. Have the Right Honorable
Gentlemen OF this Committee and of
this Assembly taken the care to con-
suit the high class white ladies OF
Iowa as to their feelings for the need
of such legislation?
n Ill. ] happen to know, and my du-
ties bring me into contact and assoc