Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-08-30
AN OUTRAGEOUS ASSAULT.

The beating of Mr.. John II. Shl
lady Of New York in front of the ho.
tel i'll which he was stopping at, Aus
tin, Texas is one Of the most rcmarl
able exhibitions of brutality evcl
made in Il southern city 1t is all The
more surprising in that this was
done in the capital of the Lone StaI
state, where law and order or rath
or scmblancc of it was to have been
expected. Mr.. Shilady evidently
made the mistake in believing that in
Texas a northern white man has any
! rights, when he takes up the cause
; OF the southern Negro that white
man is bound to respect.
The fact that Il Texas judge was
one of the law breakers makes the
affair all the more serious. These
kind Of judges have been trying col
orcd people III Texas and other south
. crn States for more than fifty years.
Evidently Mr.. Shilady made the mis-
| take of thinking that Hon. Woodrow
Wilson is President OF the United
State in Texas, when us Il matter of
fact, Governor Hobby Is not only the
Chief Executive OF Texas, but Of The
United States so far as Texas is con
cerncd and he has expressed himself
hnin Of No th,i Jnl,
Shillady got his deserts.
President Woodrow Wilson has been
trying TO make the world safe for
democracy but he has evidently been
unable to make the State Of Texas
safe for Mr.. Shillady. We arc of the
opinion that the very able Secretary
of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colorcd People is
lucky in having escaped from the
Lone Star State with his life. Just
why they did not string him up to q
lamp post will always be mystery
to us. Thousands of cu!ored men
have suffered death for minor offens.
cs and they charged him with i'll
citing Negroes and with advocating
social equality, whatever the latter
charge may mean.
We think we have witnessed the
end Of the affair, so far MS any pun
ishment being melted to tho assailants
OF Mr.. Shillady is concerned. ANY
one OF them could be elected to any
office within the gift Of the Texans.
To beat up n Ncgro-loving Yankee Is
popular pastimc and Mr.. Shil1ady
came out less than second best in the
encounter. On the other hand this
outrageous attack will "fire the
North" or that portion Of it that has
: been cordially and enthusiastically
supporting Secretary Shillady and his
F. cause. The time will yet come, when
free speech will be tolerated i'll all
parts Of this country.
This generation may be dead, but
right principles will be yet triumph
ant and the declarations in the Con
stitution Of the United States and tho
A'''i VI iNitolllS VI IL SIN !" III ~
observed in all parts of this land. We
would advise the energetic Secretary
to remain in the North until it shall
be safe to indulge in free speech il
tho Southland. Certainly no state il
the Union is more uncivilized thai
Texas and we are somewhat surpri.
ed that every educated person in tn,
United States does not know it.
/. 1t may be we'll to remark that ;
| native born Texan Of high standing
can indulge in the use Of Language
, stronger and palmer than colorct
man from the North or a white on
from that same section either. Man!
of our representative mca have takcl
, chances and defended themsclvc:
=. against all corners and when it cam,
) 10 the worst have fought to the las
} ditch and gone shouting home t,
, glory" We regret to learn Of the on
, rageous conduct in this instance ant
/ we shall watch with much interes
: the result of the struggle and tn
+ demand for the punishment Of tn
. offenders.
{ Is there any law to guarantee pr,
: lection to tho citizens Of one Stat
while sojourning within the con
, fines or boundaries of Another State
Let the constitutional lawyers answer
this question and submit. their al
swers to the counsel Of the Nationa
, Association for the Advancement o
} ColOrcd People