St. Paul recorder., 1959-09-18

this bill that you find Objectionable
lets discuss it. II you feel that
there's something that might be
on the verge Of being unconstitu-
tional we may be agreeable in TAX
ing it out. Let's work this thing
out together. He couldn't talk
with me about thing. He couldn't
meet with me. He said this is a
secret. The realtors aren't going
to find out what I have to saw
and you're not going to find out,
and we knew from that point on
what was coming. Then they post
poned the date for the city at
torney's opinion. From June the
27th into July and in the middle of
July he came forth with his opinion
that the ordinance was uncon-
stitutional and went further that
in saying the city had no power
to enact such a law. Now the
congestion appears. Now you hear
the Selby-Dale renewal redevelop-
ment - urban renewal program.
You heard about that. In effect
they have a piece out about 1t and
you see pictures in the newspapers
saying yes, it's coming. Wen have
it real soon. it's going to help
these poor people out on Rondo
Avenue. We checked on the St
Paul Urban Renewal Program
down in Chicago not too long ago
and they told us there will be no
Urban Renewal Program Of any
description in st. Paul until they
pass a building code. Now, what
about the building code. They Of
fered one before the city Council
year and half ago and to force
the landlords to fix up a lot Of
these old shacks and put adequate
plumbing and necessary improve
ments in the buildings. Some went
down to the city council and raised
cain down there. The city council
sidestepped and sidetracked this
bill and has never touched 1t since
and still has the nerve to tell us
the Urban Renewal is coming.
Nothing is coming until the other
step is taken and they pass a
building code.
Now. we can talk on and on and
on. We've got to have law enforce
ment. You know it and know it.
It's important for your lives as it
is for mine-and the kids. We can
not have abusive language on the
corners because it's the best argu-
ment for anyone to say I don't
want any Negroes in my neighbor-
hood We have to clean up some of
these problems ourselves, no ques-
ton about it. Nobody is going to
do II for us and never has done it,
Crowds are still on the corner
they are there now and they will
be there tomorrow night. We can
talk about law enforcement all we
want nothing is being really done
except they are trying to break
down crime In the form Of slug
gings and the more violent type
of violation. I'm very, very happy
that the police department had
the courage and the backbone not
to pull out firearms the other
night on Rondo and Kent because
II would have been a terrible, ter
rible disgrace not only on the
Police Department but on the
Negro community and certainly
some lives that would have been
lost needlessly and for nothing
Don't think about another riot. No
sense leaving here thinking about
we'll get back-you can't beat the
Police Department in st. Paul or
anywhere else-so you have to go
along with them.
tApplause).
II you don't like what their do
ing then protest 1t and well carry
II. That's what the NAACP Is for.
That's what it's for and they are
fighting all over the world-all
over America and certainly in the
southern areas their worse enemy
is the police department. That's |
not true either because your prob |
lens would be multiplied many,
many fold II the Police Department |
started hitting people on the head |
with the clubs for no reason at all |
up and down the street and you'll |
have a very bad time winning |
cases when the police start doing |
this type Of thing so 1t isn't as
bad as IL could be and It certainly |
is long way away from being as
good as 1t should be.
Now, in closing, I think there is
one more thing that needs to be
cleared. One of the reasons for
your problems is that you really
don't register and you don't vote.
We checked this thing. Twenty
per cent Of the people in the forty
second district voted in the last
a year ago. Twenty per-
cent. Primarily a 80 called Negro
section. At the same time we don't
find but one legislator to introduce
4 fair housing bill before the state
and he Is not of the
twin Cities. All of these fellows
who are running around on the So
called liberal ticket are not so
liberal. You might Just as well get
Il in your mind. We need to get
away from this idea about Demo-
crat and Republican because you
can't afford to call yourself either
Democrat or Republican. II YOU
are going to get some improve
ments done out here the first thing
Is to get yourself registered. We
have talked about this for years
nothing has ever been done. I L
hope that out Of this meeting we
can get some people who will say.
I'm willing to work. This is hard
work. II involves going down town
into the registration office there
and checking names because we
learned long ago there's no such
thing as asking you II you're reg
Istered because you say you are
and you're not. I can Judge, based
On the number Of people that have
moved recently that registration
must ~ ak aA al a.. = = 49,.