The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-11
SEPARATE COACH
 LAW IS UPHELD BY MISSISSIPPI COURT Damage Verdict Against Southern Railway for Vii
 Olation Will Stand SESSION MAY OPPOSE
 SENATOR VARDAMAN While No Announcement Has Been Made, It Is Thought Probable Con- gressman Will Make Fight in
 Next Primary in State

. Jackson Miss, December 10.-(SpeciaL1 In an elaborate opinion handed down this week by Justice Holden of the supreme court it was once more held that the sep arate coach laws are binding in Missis- sippi, and that negro passengers cannot ride with white folks in sleepers or day coaches, whether the train be intra or interstate. As result of the decision a verdict returned by a Washington county jury awarding Mrs. Betty Norton dam- ages in the sum of 5000 against the Southern railroad must stand.
 Mrs. Norton boarded the train at Phil adelphia, Pa, going to Memphis. A ne- gro had secured a sleeping berth from New York to Memphis. Mrs. Norton pro- tested vigorously against riding in the car with a negro, but the conductor re- fused to put him off. The train passed through states that have separate coach Nl.ich the Southern operates, save Illinois and Indiana, require separation of the races, said the court, declaring such laws arc within the police power of the states. and were enacted for the preservation of peace and the good of the public" The case was, therefore, affirmed.
 A companion case to the above was that wherein negro woman sued the railroad for ejecting her from the train between Prattville, Ala and Aberdeen, Miss. Her hust and at Aberdeen had sent her an or der on the agent at Prattville for a ticket, su2posing, of course, she would exchange the order for a ticket, but she could not read and boarded the train without a ticket. The conductor took up the order but never even suggested that she pay casa fare, and she did not know she had no ticket until the porter ordered her off at some little station where she spent the night alone, without money or friends. The Monroe couny court returned ver- diet in favor of the railroad but the su- preme court declares the woman was not to blame and reverseS the judgment of the lower court.
 FARMERS MAY NOW SWAP
 s. M. Thomas, assistant commissioner or agncullure, has arranged to give the farmers of the state an opportunity to ''swan' anything in the way of live stock, machinery, etc, with no expense for ad- yertising. Farmers are invited to mail 8 postal to MT. Thomas, telling what they have and what they would like to swap for.
 SESSION AGAINST VARDAMAN
 There is very persistent rumor here, coming by way of Grenada, that T. U. Sisson, congressman from the Fourth dis trict, is seriously considering the propo- eition to pit himself against James K. Vardaman for the Senate next time. Mir. Sission is said to have made a speech ar Grenada just before leaving for Wash iugton, to be present on the opening day Nf the congressional session, in the course of which he earnestly advocated ksveral democEatic measures that had been opposed by MT. Vardaman, declar- ing that their defeat was a terrible blow for the farmers of the south. He did not state that he was going to be a candi- date for the Senate, but his friends af- firm that the senatorial bee is buzzing in his bonnet, and that Sisson enjoys talk ing about it. These are two of the ablest scpeakers in the state, and heretofore have been riding along in the same po- 1fr1ca1 boat, but it is understood MT. Sisson is almost persuaded it is about time for him to jump out, even if the water is deep A senatorial contest be-