The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-06-29
NEGROES DEFEAT
SEGREGATION ACT
Business League Instru-
mental-Mayor And
City Counsel
Visited.

Muskogee, Okla, June 25.-The
proposed segregation ordinance which
few narrow minded unpatriotic
white men sought to pass here was
defeated by the city council last week
after a determined fight made against
the nefarious bill by the colored peo-
pie of this city through the local bus
mess league. The following petition
was presented to the mayor and the
city council at its meeting last week
and upon the vote thecouncil defeat
ed the proposed law:
The Honorable Mayor and City Coun-
Gil:
The Negro Business League of this
city has selected us to come before
you for the purpose of entering its
protest and DIGESTION othe proposed
ordinance having for it's object the Sc
gregation Of the Negroes in this city.
Our people cannot but view with
alarm the spirit of race antipathy the
enactments of such an ordinance will
necessarily produce.
In no other city in the country is
the relation between the races so
pleasant as in Muskogee.
In no other place do the white bus
mess and professional men cooperate
with the black business and profes-
sional men to suppress the mob and
the mob spirit as here.
In no other city, in the South, have
large sections of black men discarded
the party badge and voted for men
because of their worth to the COM
munity as here.
At thistime our city is more pros
porous than it has been for the last
seven years and we are anxious for
that prosperity to continue. We fiat
ter ourselves with the belief that you
gentlemen are largely responsible for
that prosperity. You may have had
your differences in bringing this
prosperity, but you have brought it
just the same, and we gladly give you
credit for It. You are entitled to it..
The Negroes object to the enact
ment of the contemplated ordinance,
among others, for the following rea-
sons:
because it will hamper and re-
tard the prosperity and progress OF
our city.
because it will strain and dis
rupt the pleasant relations which have
existed. between the races here since
the foundation of the city.
3.-Because it will depreciate the
values of prosperity owned by Negro
and not enhance the values of prop
erty owned by white people.
4.-Because history and experience
teach that Ghetto districts do not re-
ceive the same appropriations and
considerations at the hands of the
city government as other parts of the
city. '7
5.--Because these districts never
have sufficient gas, lights and sewer
age; and street improvement is very
rare. The highest death rate Of the
city is always found in segregated dis
tricts.
6.-Because insurance companies
do not seek business in segregated
districts.
because these districts are eye
sores of the city and the very incu-
bators of crime.
S.-Because segregation ordinances
preclude the right or contract of the
citizen.
9.-Because there ordinances are
manifestations of race hatred, and not
prompted by spirit of charity.
10.-Because they impose an un-
necessary hardship upon those who
live in such districts when they at
tempt to secure legitimate loans up
on their property.
11-Because the Negroes, to a GER
tain extent, have segregated them
selves in this city and no further Sc
gregation is necessary.
12-Because there is large class
of our people who pride themselves
upon the fact that they are seeking
the highest and best in civic develop
ment and to require them to curb
these high aspirations and to live in
districts prescribed by law is repug-
nant to the genius of our institutions.
WHEREFORE, we ask that the
contemplated Ordinance be not pass
ed.
H. T. WALKER.
Z. B. WEAVER.