The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1915-04-24
STING OF
RACE PREJUDICE
Native Born American Citizen
Denied Civil Rights.
MAN OF BROAD SYMPATHIES

Former Government Official Tells Sad
Story Of How the Color Line Operates
Against Our countrymen-ReIated to
Group Of Warriors Who Fought For
Nation's Honor.
In giving his views on race prejudice
a. practiced against the colored people
in the United States Ralph w. Tyler,
former auditor for the navy depart
msnt at Washington, says:
My father served three years in the
Union army, from 1851 to 1864, to the
close Of the civil war. My maternal
grandfather fought under General Tay-
lor In 1847. A paternal great-grand-
uncle manned one of Perry's guns on
Lake Erie In 1872. My paternal great
great-grandfather fought in the war
Of the Revolution, suffered the priva-
tions, stood the bitter cold, with
Washington at Valley Forge. One
brother of mine served in the fever
infested Philippines under the United
States flag as soldier during the
Spanish-American war.
That Is line of patriots who offer
Cd their lives in defense Of and for
their country which must provoke
pride in the breasts of their kinsmen
now living. stood one evening on
Feb. ~, Washington's birthday. in
front Of celebrated playhouse In
Washington, the city these ancestors
and their progeny offered their lives
10 establish, protect and preserve till
the end Of time. saw the native
American roll up in his automobile
and enter this playhouse. saw the
unnaturalized Teuton pass in; saw the
Roman and the Russian pass through
its doors; saw the newly arrived
Greek, yesterdays immigrant from
Italy. the almond eyed son Of the orr
ent; the mikado's subject-saw all
these who are thrown into Americas
melting pot and for whom I hold only
the kindliest sentiments freely enter
the electric illumined lobby Of this
playhouse and pass through its doors,
for all Of whom was shown the in
Visible but none the less cordial sign
welcome"
Then I turned away, with a sigh,
and sadly soliloquized, Gall these have
he unrestricted rights Of an American
citizen, but what am and who am
to whom these doors are closed and
this privilege is deniedw Slowly. de-
jectedly, walked west on Pennsyl-
vania avenue to Fourteenth street,
thence north on Fourteenth. As I
passed q famous hotel stopped, stood
In the cold on the sidewalk and gazed
down into the luxuriantly furnished,
brilliantly illumined dining room with
tn crush Of splendidly appareled
guests, out from which hoated, like
mockery to me, the sweet, inspiring
strains Of America"
At one table I saw the plethoric
pursed Jewish merchant who came to
this country in 1881. At another ia
bic sat two japanese who were visit
ing this country. One other table was
occupied by a son Of sunny Italy and
his lady sampling their native wine.
Just opposite them and unmindful Of
the presence of any of these sat some
Of Americas native born Caucasians
despoiling a deliciously cooked supper.
At q table to the left of them sat the
successful proprietor Of shoe shining
parior who halls from the country
which gave Miltiades to the world. .,
I stood there In the cold on the side
walk and gazed down in upon that as
semblage, foreign born and native
born, naturalized and unnaturalized,
and then, as before, ! turned away
sadly and wended my way onward, all
the while soliloquizing, putting to my
self the unanswered question, But
what am and who am to whom
these doors are closed and this priv
ilege Ia deniedT'
A few days later l had occasion to
make q trip across the line my father
fought three years to obliterate-that
line below which my grandfather
marched In 1847 to offer his body as a
human target for the bullets from Mex
lean guns; that line below which
great-grandfather had carried the
heavy iintlock Of an American soldier
under Washington.
At the ticket Office just ahead of me
q Greek. an Italian and several Amer
leans laid down the crisp gold and sill
yer promissory notes Of this govern
ment and In exchange received tickets
for sleeping car berths. No question