Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1927-10-29

nual sessions of the order in
Texas are greeted and treated by
~Ae deu,s OF the cities in
which these conventions are held"
l. is true, Mr.. Editor, that have
been guest at the grand lodge Of
the Colored Knights of Pythias in the
State of Texas ever since beginning
with the year 1905, except one year
when l could not come to the grand
lodge of Texas because of other press
ing engagements. | have enjoyed
the visits to the grand lodge of Texas
and have praised the manner in which
the delegates and visitors have been
welcomed to the cities of Texas by
the mayors of the cities of Texas
sometimes in person, and sometimes
by their representatives. | do not
hesitate to praise them for their cor
dial words of welcome and for the
courtesies extended our representa-
tives to the grand lodge meetings.
That Almighty But"
Rvt, Mr.. Editor, that does not alter
the fact that | have always gone to
+le meetings Ct the grand lodge of
: Texas, and returned from the meet
'ings of the grand lodge of Texas for
the past % years in "iim-c"Ow cars
Except durlno tie past few Years -
s"aud chancellor has been securing
Snccial trains to run from certain
cities to the meeting places of .h2
~rand lodge, and it was only tac-,
mat l could enjoy the comforts Of
railloau trayel in Texas without be-
.ne cooped up in one end OF d Jim
,erUM' car, and being embarrassed "
having males and females having -
use the same toilets, and many ti~?HS
have had to stand because | could
not secure seat in The 'jim-crow"
car provided for colored passengers.
For the past p years, nlr. Ed,
| n@vs ylSlSe4 Vie Sessions OF tHN
rand lodge of Texas, and have great
ly impaired my health because of hav-
TX 20 sit up all night long going to
--..Sy. and coming fIold Texas. De
cause l could not secure the comforts
s.Ad uCnyeniences OF sleeping car,
Had Visited Texas.
have attended the grand lodge
-cssions of Texas when they were in
poor circumstances financially, and
have attended the grand lodge SEES
5lons of Texas when tkey lad also
crown into affluent circumstances.
Whether the grand lodge of Texas
was scarcely able to meet its obll-
cetinns, or whether the grand lodge
of Texas was in a flourishing finan-
cial condition, | have endeavored to
discharge my duty in my official ca
pacity to advise and counsel with the
officers and representatives in tine
a++or ~ Dror1O+ir" n. posi- intere 81
of the order in that grand jurisdiction,
If the grand lodge of Texas is nv
in fourishing financial condition, l
wish to remind you, Mr.. Edl.o Inat
l take pride IN the fact that ! have
advised and counseled with the officers
and representatives of the grand lodge
of Texas in the matter OF every la
which has been adopted and every
effort put forth to, mat,a the 60 "a
lodge of Texas one Of the most pros
porous grand lodges of our supreme
jurisdiction. sts ;t,5 .('<ts.
White Texans Liberality.
At the session of the grand lodge
of Texas in Austin in June this vear
| praised the representatives of the
house of representatives of Texas
for granting to us the use of the
house of representatives by an al
most unanimous vote to hold our
memorial services in their hall, de-
spite the fact that they were hold
ing their daily sessions of the house
of representatives at the same time
in their hall While 1 praised the rep
resentatives of the house of repre-
sentatives of the State of Texas for
the courtesies extended to us. and
approve of the act in extending that
courtesy, | do not, and cannot ap-
prove of another act of the same leg
islature that passed a law denying
to it's colored fellow-citizens the right
to vote in Democratic primaries, be-
cause of their race and color.
In the matter of how may fee
in the event | should attend the grand
lodge of the Texas Pythians at Hous,
ton in 1928, | wish to say that
shall cross that bridge when | ge
to it, Mr.. Editor.
A Difference In Glasses.
As resident of the South, Mr.. Ed
tor. YOU know and | know that the
trouble does not arise between the bet
ter class of white people and tn
better class of colored people in TIM
South, because we know what the.
term ''our place" in the South, an(
we stay in it.
Our uniform rank members, born
, and reared in the South, and knowing
the conditions in the South, and know
, ing how to stay in their places Il
: the South will seldom, if ever, hav
any trouble with what is known a
the irresponsible element of whit
: people in the South.
! Northerners In Danger.
1t is entirely different matter, MI
q Editor, to bring a large number o
v uniform rank members of our orde
: from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Penn
r sylvania, New York, New Jersey o
O Massachusetts into the far South, an
!" have them pass through the street
of one of our Southern cities with tn
name or initials of their State on tn
p collars of their uniform, or to hav
them attempt to ride on one of on
''iim-crow street cars without eeln
insulted by one of the irresponslb
elements of the opposite race, and
they should attempt to resent the II
IL , -,ca riot vvould he the reSul