Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1887 — Another New South Episode. [ARTICLE]

Another New South Episode.

It was Mr. Grady of Atlanta who enjoyed a emporary boom of personal popularity by airing his eloquence at the recent New England, dinner, pietaring the magnanimity of the New South toward the colored race, extolling its fervid devotion to tho laws of the country, and appealing to the North to reoognize the patriotism of that section and emulate it. Mr. Grady was particularly enthusiastic iu his description of the New South, and pictured the roseate existence of the negro under the new order of things in vivid colors. Mr. Grady thereby built a very large boom for himself, and achieved such a sudden popularity that bis name was even mentioned in connection with the national ticket of his party. There were many people in the North who took a great deal of stock in his New South, but somehow or other the market has turned against them and steadily declined until New South is no longer quoted. Scarcely a day passes that something does not turn up showing that it is the same Old South after all. One of these incidents happened the other day. A middle-aged colored man, respectable in dress and behavior, purchased a first-class ticket from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and took his seat in the car. What resulted is told in the dispatch as follows: “Conductor Ferguson at once approached him and ordered him to go into the colored car. ‘I will not do it,’ replied the negro; ‘I have a first-class ticket to Atlanta, and will not submit to discrimination.’ The conversation was listened to by the other passengers, and as soon as the conductor stepped out three young men approached the negro, saying: ‘Here, coon, get out of this car.’ One of the men grabbed the negro’s oane and dealt him a heavy blow on the head. In an instant the negro, who had wonderful strength, was rolling over the three young men on the floor of the coach. The conductor endeavored to save the objectionable passenger from the indignity to which he was being subjected, but the train slowing up at Dalton the negro was shoVed ont in the dark and left standing in a ditch.” This little affair occurred in the most intelligent portion of Mr. Grady’s New South, not in the Old South of Mississippi or Alabama, where a similar defense of his rights would have resulted in something worse than being pounded by three ruffians and thrown into a ditch. It was in that section where, according to Mr. Grady, there are the kindest feelings toward colored men; where no color line is drawn; where the two races get along together harmoniously and even affectionately; and where the laws of the country are respected. Prejudiced Northern men, however, will fail to see any radical difference between tbe New South and the Old Sonth, or discriminate between their methods of treating the negro. It may be that the New Sonth is boiling over with affection for him.,but it has a strange wav of showing it. If this were a single instance it might be regarded as exceptional, but unfortunately episodes of this kind are common—so common, indeed, that Mr. Grady’s New South boom is in danger of utter collapse. It is some compensation that the colored man has his remedy. Civil-rights legislation cannot help him, because civil rights are not recognized in the New South; but ■Re will sue the road for damages under the interstate commerce law, which expressly provides that there shall be no discrimination against any person. The New South may deny that this colored man is a firstclass passenger—though he is first class by a large majority in comparison with some of the whites whb travel in that section—but it can hardly deny that he is a person and maintain it before a court, even in the New South. Mr. Grady says there is a great deal of justice there, and, of course, the negro will get the damages from the road which he deserves, but this does not affect the humbug about the New Sonth which Grady so eloquently spouted amid the fizzing of champagne and the applause of his auditors. — Chicago Tribune.