The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-13

o.
acres, where he and his wife live, by gift
rent Tree curing their lives, and they vote
ana work for the Republican candidates
Just as they please. General Wickham
mas q monument to his memory in Rich
mona inscribed with the word "Friend,"
ana contributed to by many of his old en-
pioyes who owed their places to him. but
who would not have voted for him to
have saved his life.
In the city where live and, 50 far a. I
Know, In all cities it is just Is it IL in the
country.
There is great outcry about the negro
being prevented from exercising his right
OF suffrage, and the Democratic member of
congress representing the Richmond dis
trict was unseated two years ago on the
alleged ground that the negroes Of Jack
son ward had been prevented by chal-
lenges and other dilafory methods from
casting their vote. The polling of the
vote in that ward on that occasion is an
excellent illustration of the difficulties
same at the last election. The ballot box
Is placed just inside of an open window
opening out on the street. and the white
voters stand in one line and the
colored in another and vote alternately.
In that ward the negroes being largely in
the majority form the larger line. as tho
whites do in other wards. 1t is 8 motley
having their meals brought to them there
Two chaliengers, one representing either
party, stand outside the window to chal-
ienge the votes upon information received
by them beforehand. 1t is not impossible
tfat occasionally frivolous questions are
asked, but this is inseparab!e from any
system and it is not common. Usually
the chaliengers have sufficient grounds for
every challenge they make. There are in
that ward over a dozen George Washing
tons and think over twenty William
Johnsons, which in itself is the occasion
pf much confusion, and when it is under
Blood that George Washington NAV live in
one place under the patronymic Of the
father Of his country. in another as Will
lam Johnson, and in several other places
In the same town under as many other
different aliases, the confusion becomes
endless
The negro's habit of assuming double
names IS so we'll recognized that one ceases
to be surprised at it. The other day one
came to NV office with the widow of de-
ceased union soldier. The papers had
been made out by an agent in Baltimore
on the statement OF the woman's daughter,
ana her name was given as Caroline
Johnson, widow of William Johnson"
''But. Aunt Winnle," said my partner,
to whose father both she and her husband
had formerly belonged. this is not your
name ?'
Nor. sab; dat amt my name. she said.
Were you ever called Gardiner"
"NOr, sah.''
''Weli, what was your husbands name 7"
''Henry Johnson; but did heah after
he left me that he changed his name to
William Johnson"
The pension papers were returned to the
agent with statement Of the facts.
This will illustrate why when twenty
William JOhnsons are registered. most Of
them ifnot all looking as much alike to a
white mans eye as so many back-eyed
peas. delay and mistakes in examining
them are unavoidable. One of the chal-
lenged, however. got the turn on his
challenger that day. He had been a rag
picker. and bought rags, scraps of paper,
etc, but had moved from the shanty he
had long occupied. and on purging day,
nothing being known of him. had been
stricken from the roll list as dead. On
alive enough. 1t happened that one of
the chailengers had some time before sold
him some stuff, and when he appeared he
said:
Hello. Uncle Billy! You can't vote.
You are dead"
What's dat2" asked the old fellow.
why, you! are dead. See here" He
showed him the page and the word "dead"
opposite his name. Billy looked at it a
moment curiously and then slipped out of
line.
well. look heah. Marsc Norm, "he said.
"You know bout dem twenty.three dollars
owes you? Well. don't you forgit, dee's
dead too" And he went off chuckling at
the roar that greeted his apt wit.
One of the leading workers in the ward
was an office boy that one of the chal-
lengers and another friend had in com.
mon, their offices adjoining. He was out
there that day with a flashing Republican
badge. Some one said to one Of his en-
plovers:
"Whv do you let that bow take such an
active part in politics? Why don't you
threaten to discharge him 2"
"Look here" said the other. "ybu don't
know how things stand; that's the best
darkey in this town, and Pm so afraid
he'll threaten to discharge me if / don't
stop voting the Democratic ticket don't
know what to do" So there they were
working. master and man, warm friends,
364 days in the year. yet gulf between
them on one day, Both had the same in
terests exactly, and yet they were hope
lessly pitted against each other. One or
the other was bound to be wrong. As
member of the great Anglo-Saxon race I
have no doubt which it was.
THOMAS NELSON PACE.