Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-04

Special Dispatchto The Lvening Star.
RICHMOND, Va, July 4.-Hundreds Of Rich
mond people are spending the Fourth at the sea-
shore; but the masses contenting them
selves with the cool shades of this vicinity.
There are at least a dozen picnics in progress
within twenty-five miles Of the city, and they
are all well attended. The most notable enter
tainment Of the sort is, Of course. the picnic Of
the Powhatan Club ut "Acca," the stock farm
Of the clubs president, Alderman Preston Bel
win, about two miles from town on the Rich
mond, fredericksburg and Potomac railroad.
The Powhatan Club picnic last Fourth Of July at
''Acca" was great success. but today witnesses
even a larger and more demonstrative crowd.
The Powhatan is a democratic organization of
the most pronounced practical politics
character, and every offceholder and political
aspirant of Richmond was on hand early.
Maj. ]. Taylor Ellyson, chairman of the state
democratic committee, himself ''brave,"
drove out in his buggy about II o'clock. There
ia to be no speech-making at this picnic, but
dinner is to be served at 2 O'Clock, and liquor
is dispensed without stint.
Letters of regret were received by President
Belvin during the week from many prominent
democrats, including Gov. Hill, Senator Bar
bour and Senator German. Mr.. Cleveland WAS
invited. but his response has not vet come to
hand. The only Congressman at the picnic is
Hon. J. Z. Epes of the Petersburg district.
Gov. Hill wrote that he could not come to
Richmond at this time, but that he would stop
over here for a day or two on his way to or
from Atlanta in October. The Powhatan Club
as a club has great weakness for Hill, although
several individual members take very little
stock in the gOvernor-Senator.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE CLUB.
Nothing in the way Of a political organiza-
ton here has ever been quite so aggressive as
the Powhatan Club. In addition to the office
hnll . boo a.,
members most Of the prominent bourbons Of
the city. There is badly n week that the Pow
hatan does not start up something for lively
agitation. 1t has demanded that only white
teachers shall be employed for the colored
schools. The school board is composed of
democrats but the board has declined up to
this time to accede to the demand. The clubs
position in the matter il, however, meeting
with good deal Of popular Endorsement and
the board will have to yield in the end. no
doubt. But the public is opposed to many
things that the club advocates. The street car
question, for instance. demanding that the
street railway companies run separate cars for
whites and blacks, is u pet scheme of the Pow
hatan agitators But the general public makes
no such demand; on the contrary the people
regard the club 9 demand as both impracticable
and injudicious.
THE COLOR LINE IN STREET CARS.
The committee appointed by President
perform that duty one day next week. Some
of the club members argue that because the
street railway company had separate cars Just
after the war-there only one line then
that such an arrangement would work now.
But they forget that the conditions are
very different now. In reconstruction days
the street car service was no account
pany ran only about half dozen cars
all told and nobody rode. Now, with
several lines, with a total trackage Of about
fifty miles. with total equipment Of about 100
cars, and with the nickel fare, everybody rides;
and white people would be the first to kick
against a system Of separate cars, for they
would not be willing to wait for their own
color but would board black Car provided it
happened to come along first Negroes are
sometimes rude and Objectionable in the cars,
but as rule they are exceedingly well be-
haved; and this is the testimony Of u large per-
centage Of the prominent representative citi-
zens, including bankers, preachers, lawyers and
newspaper men.
THE TAMMANY OF RICHMOND.
The Powhatan Club is sometimes called the
Tammany Of Richmond, but it is not 80 highly
organized as Tammany Hail. and therefore can
not vote its members as unit. But Q move
ment is on foot to organize branches Of the
club in every town in the state. 1t would then
become u powerful machine and would make
things lively indeed as long as 1t lasted.
Next to the Powhatan Club picnic, the old
fashioned barbecue at Wickham's, given by Maj.
William Wickham. son of the late Gen. Will
lam &. Wickham, is the attraction. Peter J,
Burton, Thomas Nelson Page and other we'll
known Richmond people are there, but the
company is recruited principally from the al
lance politicians and good people generally Of
Hanover county.
sPEAKERsHIP CONTEST.
1t is now certain that Speaker Cardwell will
be q candidate again for the legislature and
that he will be elected. He will probably sue
coed himself on as speaker, too, but 1t il un-
dertsoOd that Hon. ]. +. Ryan Of Loudoun will
oppose him for the speakership. 1t is said that
when Senator Heaton died Ryan would have
succeeded him but fer the fact that Cardwell
intimated that he would not be q candidate any
more. Ryan then decided to continue in the
house and run for the speakership.
spoken OF as o candidate for attorney general in
the election two years off. Blackstone ID known
as the dude member Of the legislature.
1t is positively stated now on good authority
that the only demand the alliance will make
will be for 4 railroad bill Any popular demo-
crst will stand good chance for nomination
if he will only pledge himself to vote for such
q bill as the alliance may present. / recently
asked Maj. Mann Page, the president Of the
state alliance, what sort Of o bill il would be-
and he said he did not know, as be had not
studied the question, but that when the time
came his people would hsve measure that
would please the rural districts.
THE ALLIANCE IN THE SOUTH.