Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-19

A Colored Literary Society of Baltimore
Think the Joke IL On Washing ton.


Think the Joke is On Washing ton.
The colored people of Baltimore are having
some fun over what they consider the discom-
future of some of the colored people of Wash
inston who went to Baltimore Tuesday night
to attend the meeting Of the Monumental Lit
erary Society of that city.
Says the Baltimore AneT-scdy today: The col.
ored literary lights of Washington had never
heard much Of Baltimore's creditable colored
literary organization. The Afro-American
litterati of the national capital supposed Balti-
more's colored citizens were cropping in intel
lectual gloom. Therefore, upon invitation to
read before the Literary last Tuesday evening,
! Col. Milton NJ. Holland. chief clerk in the
| treasury Department. and lawyer, determined
| 20 make missionary trip unto the colored
! heather OF the monumental city and brought
| some nifty Washingtonians. including doctors
lawyers. professors of colleges, &c. They came,
| as they said, TO have Baltimores colored peo-
pie SIT FOR an evening in the ''reflexed' light of
| Washington intellect. The essayist told the
colored people here that they must be more in
| fact, he wanted them to initiate the good and
great virtues Of the colored populace of the ma
tlonai capital. The essayist iectured and criti-
| cised the colored people of this city in great
shape: and as his good points were applauded
by Baltimoreans and Neutrality-suspicious. alike he
looked supremely radiant in his spiked tail
coat. low-cut vest and boutonniere. He had
come to impress his audience with his great
ness. He had vowed to come, to see, to con-
Quer.
But, sad to relate he had Iniscalculated his
task In slang parlance, be bit off more than
he could chew. 1t was painful exhibition of
the bitter bitten" In attempting to bring the
mountain to him the mountain Cell on him.
Scattered among his audience like many
man-traps or ambuscades were some of the
best debaters OF color in this city: and the dis
tinSulshed Washlngtonlan had barely sat down,
covered with glory and perspiration, when the
trouble began, and before he knew it fire was
built all around him. First came Rev. Mr..
Beck. who. in pithy and pointed speech, at
tackled the address. Then came Lawyer Chas.
w. Johnson, who, in eloquent and forcible
language, showed up many f,.llacies of fact and
logic. Then came Lawyer +. j. Warning, who,
weak spots. Then Councilman Harry S. Cum
mlngs got in his work to good purpose. Fol-
lowing Lawyer W. Il. McGinnis criticised the
paper as with dissecting knife. The ornate
and polished Daniel Webster Williams fired
some thunderbolts, and in reserve were DR..
Fowler, DIR. H. J. Brown, J. B. McGinniss, w.
A. Hawkins and many more who had no OPP
portunity to speak. But note the result.
After the home debaters had heated things
up to such an extent, the Washington boys
came to the conclusion that trap had been
set for them, and not only did Col. Hollands
hackers and supporters refuse to come into the
debate and rescue their chief from imminent
peril. but when Col. Holland was courteously
invited to reply to the arguments of the home
debaters, he refused. and led his followers from
the field of ignominious and complete defeat,
leaving the baltimore debaters completely vic
torious. The colonel seemed afraid to answer
the arguments against him. He and his fol-
lowers seemed speeches. as the Baltimore Or
atogs let fall such language from their lips
The colored people of Baltimore are modest
and, although Baltimore has the most success
full professional men, the larg churches, the
most beneficial societies. the most cOlored
property owners, the most colored men in bus
mess. the most manly negroes and the largest
colored population OF any American city, they
are modest. But, when the game of pity is be-
gun, they wake up in earnest. This was the
case Tuesday evening. The Washington visit
ors didn't know, but they know now. They
will remember their visit.