The Western Barber from Topeka, Kansas • 8

fry. 8 THE WESTERN BARBER. The provisions of the bill protect the public from incompetent workmen. It requires something besides ability to use the tools and will be a very satisfactory thing for the public and to the barbers as well. NEGROES OPPOSE IT.

The following clipping is from the Kansas City World, May 27th, 1899 ALL THE COLORED BARBERS WILL FIGHT THE NEW LAW. Go to Jail If Need Be Because Negroes Are Not Allowed Jn the Union and Cant Get on the Board. If the new barbers law is to be enforced the war must be carried into Africa. Negro barbers are a unit in opposing it. Those in Kansas City, and, it is said, St.

Louis and St. Joseph, too, where the statute applies, are preparing to fight it. It is race discrimination and we believe it unconstitutional, said Sam Jones, colored barber. They can arrest every one in the establishment, but we will pay no attention to it until the supreme court tells us to do so. His sentiments were echoed by Dan Lucas and half a dozen other well known tonsoriaiists of his race.

"Ill go to jail and close my shop before Ill submit to the iniquity, declared Lucas. Not until the highest court decides against me will I give in. The law was made to drive the colored barber out of business. The reason for these complaints is that the bill provides for the appointment by the governor as members of the state examining board only such men as are recommended by three organizations the Barbers union, the Boss Barbers association and the State Barbers Protective association. Negroes do not affiliate with these organizations.

Recently John L. Hanks was recommended by the local Barbers association. There is no Boss Barbers' association in Kansas City and the recommendation of an examiner from that organization was left to the St. Louis association. There was no State Protective association here either, but one was formed a few days ago, composed only of employing barbers, for the purpose of recommending another candidate from Kansas City.

The statute is also said to be unconstitutional because it applies to cities of over 50,000 and it will be urged that people living in smaller towns are entitled to protection from cheap and incompetent baibers as well as those in the large centers. Kansas City World, May 27th, 1899. IIow can the colored barber make out discrimination of race in this law? The bill does not state what color, race or nationality shall or shall not be such persons, and upon conviction thereof they shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten ($10.00) dollars or more than one hundred ($100.00) dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail less than ten (10) days or more than ninety (00) days. Prosecutions under this act shall be begun and carried on in the same manner as other prosecutions for misdemeanors in this state. There are the following changes made in the amendments The original bill introduced by Sen ator Rollins would have compelled every barber in the state to be registered.

The barbers from the small towns took no interest in the bill and neglected to instruct their respective representatives When the bill came up the St. Louis and Kansas City representatives worked for it as they had been so instructed. Then the country representatives, thinking that it was a bill to favor the cities, natural ly they took the opposite, side and to compromise they amended the bill to cover only the cities of over 100,000. When the St. Joe members of the legislature came home they found the barbers of that city up in arms.

They told their representatives that if that bill should go through all the poor barbers of Kansas City and St. Louis would flock in St. Joe, etc. So when the St. Joe legislators returned to JelTerson City they worked to amend the bill, but the only compromise the house could gain was to cover only the cities of 50,000 inhabitants.

There is also a change in the number of the board. It is two instead of three members and they also' change the number of years practice required to be admitted to an examination. It is two (2) years in lieu or three (3) years. This shows what lack of interest in our business will result and I predict that there will be another bill introduced in the next session of the legislature to make the law general in Missouri and that the barbers of the whole state will take the proper interest in that bill. This ought to be a good lesson to the barbers in every state in which they are not fortunate enough to have a law and I hope they will all profit by it and to see a bill introduced and pushed through every state legislature within the next two years.

Dont give up the fight. Keep up the work of organizing and of contributing monthly to a fund to be used when time comes. It is hard to push a bill without money or political influence or both. Political influence is what saved our bill and it had a very narrow escape at that. NAPOLEON LE BLANC.

KANSAS CITY BARBERS PRAISE THE NEW LAW. Frank Long, manager of the Coates house barber shop, said The bill is a good thing. It will establish a standard of workmanship and will compel men who follow the trade to attend to it strictly. It will shut up these barber colleges that graduate a man in six weeks. George McFarland of the Savoy shop, said: The bill requires a knowledge of sanitary matters as well as ability to cut hair and handle a razor.

It will make shops of all kinds attend to business and will be a good thing. James L. Hunter of the Midland shop, said Barbers, Something STOP QUICK PENCIL Stops bleeding instantly and without pain. The only preparation of its kind in the world. Send ten cents for sampleto CHAS.

A. SHITH, 1941 Darien PHILADELPHIA, PA. notice to G. N. W.

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