Legislation is powerless to [eliminate] racial instincts or to abolish distinctions based upon physical if the civil and political rights of both races be equal, one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically. if one race be inferior to the other socially, the constitution of the united states cannot put them upon the same plane. what is the main purpose of this passage? to criticize louisiana for its segregation of railroad cars to argue against those who oppose segregation to defend segregation as an acceptable practice to deny that legal segregation is necessary