Evening star., 1896-09-08
THERE WAS NO CAKE WALK
Because the Lights We're Turned Out in
Robinson 8hrk.
Proprietor Did Not 3Get His Money
and So the COlD1ed Picnic
Came to am End.

Great preparations were mace Ior
picnic yesterday by many of the colored
citizens within a radius CT several miles
from the corner Of Florida avenue and 18th
street. At that corner is located Robinson
Park, a veritable Garden Of Paradise to
many among the colored population
Of the northwest section. Surrounded by
board fence, with a pavilion for dancers
and homemade benches scattered through
the park and beneath the trees for the ac-
commodation OF fond lovers, there is little
to be wished for by the pleasure-seeker.
Everything was we'll whitewashed, and
looked spick and span for the great occa-
sion of yesterday, the mighty and absorb
ing feature of which was the cake walk, to
come off at II o'clock, and to end by mid
night.
The exercises began at o'clock III the
afternoon. it was union picnic and lamb
Staying occasion. and was under the man
agement of the Laborers' Protective Union,
of which Mr.. Phillip Crutchfield Is presi-
dent and Mr.. Wilton Johnson secretary.
Every one had more than fifteen cents
worth of fun. and the event promised to
be noted as a memorable success In the
annals of the park
Prof. LawsOn's Speech.
After recess was taken there was a
reassembling at o'clock, when r. S. Laws
opened the meeting by announcing that
speakers would be free to say Whatever
they thought best. They might talk about
labor problems or even advocate free silver
or the gold standard. Professor Jesse
Lawson of Howard University was the
first speaker, and chose local politics and
and the condition of the colored man as his
theme. He didn't think the colored men
had fair amount Of the local offices, and
he regarded local suffrage as the only
for giving the cOlOred men all
that belonged to them. He took consola-
ton In the thought that 1t was peter 10
be fitted to vote and not nave the right
to vote than to have the right of franchise
and to be unfit to exercise it. He blamed
the colored people for much of their back
wardness. and appealed to them to move
forward. forward, forward. and this sentl-
ment called for a round of applause from
the assemblage, with an accompaniment
on the bass drum while some patriotic
citizens. whose want of Is cents had caused
them to stay on the outside of the board
fence and peep through the cracks, yelled
with delight, and called over the fence
'GeS, brother, 60 forward!
Professor Lawson wanted to know how
it was that the colored people in the Dis
trict had had a colored superintendent Of
public schools for thirty years. and yet
studied from white mems text books. He
wanted colored men to show their ability
and supply with their own brains text
books for their race.
Anderson J. Taylor followed with an ad-
dress on the need of suffrage in the Dis
trict.
Watched the Gate Money.
During the speaking, many damsel, am
bilious for social distinction, had cast
anxious glances toward the booth contain
ing the cake that was to be walked for,
and a few went back to get a sniff at it,
the odor inspiring them with fresh am
btion. A few moved about occasionally to
hun to- ,,io
to timber up their muscles SO that stiffness
might not prevent an exercise of their most
catching grace of movement through which
they hoped to win the prize
All this time there was one business like
colored man watching the proceedirgs He
lacked all cake sentiment, and was stand
ing near the gate. He had watched the
gatekecpers at the receipt of tolls all the
afternoon and evening, and he got nervous
1T was the proprietor of the park and he
wanted the 50 which it Is said was agreed
to be paid him Evidently he wasn't salts
fed as ne had several conferencas with
the managers of the picnic and .lamb-slay-
Ing. and still seemed discontented
Finally he took heroic steps to collect the
money. All the lights were put out and
darkness reigned. while Mr. Robinson de-
clared that there could be no cake walk un-
I'll ne got his money, and as there was s.
rumble of opposition. he went out and
called Police Officer Colts, who was watch
Ing on the outside. No liquor was sold on
rot received an impetus from that source.
Consequently the crowd accepted the in
evitable and gradually. with dsappoint-
ment. filed out of the park, as this heroic
treatment had, 1t was claimed. no effect on
the holders of the gate receipts.
There Was No Cake Walk.
"a month ago." said Mr.. Robinson, they
gave me 81, and they wouldn't pay me an
other cent. They kept telling me to wait
a little longer and little longer
The Rev. S. Geriah Lamkins, pastor of
Salem Baptist Church. which was to re-
ceive any net proceeds from the entertain
ment, declared that as a man of religion he
was opposed to dancing, and the picnic
had been broken up because some of the
people wanted to have some improper dane
ing and he couldn't countenance it.
But the lights went out, and remained
out, and the crowd gradually sauntered TO
their homes, few of the young men talk
ing about the law, and those who had paid
Is cents to see the cake walk didn't see
what they had gotten out of it.