The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-03
FROM YAZOO CITY, MISS,
EZRA SMITH, ORIGINALLY A YAM
KEE, AT HOTEL ENGLISH.
In YaEoo County Republicans Only
Vote Every Four Years-The
Cotton Crop.

Ezra Smith, of Yazoo City. Miss, was at
the Hotel English last night. having come
to Indianapolis on private business. Mr..
Smith enjoys the distinction Of hailing
from a county where the negro is not per-
mitted to vote and where n Republican is
only given an opportunity to vote for his
party once in four years. This is when
there is a President to elect. Yazoo City
is the county seat of Sazoo county and
is situated on the Yazoo river. This coun-
ty has become famous IN the political
history of the country in the last twenty
years. 1t is In the heart of the cotton
country and may be said to be in the very
midst of the hotbed of Democracy.
Ezra Smith is not a native of Missis-
sippi but on the contrary Is a Yankee.
Maine is his native State but he will re-
main in Yazoo county because he has made
money there. He is engaged in civil en-
cheering and carries on a real-estate
business. 81 was broke when I struck
Yazoo City," he said last night. II went
in there on n r~ailroad-that is was work.
ing on a railroad when [ struck the place.
1 am not wealthy but I AVE made money
there and I've decided to stay where /
know can do we'll" Yazoo City is a
town of about 5000 population. Mr.. Smith
asserts the belief that there were perhaps
two hundred Democrats in the town who
did not vote at the last election because
they did not want TO cast a ballot for
Bryan. During the entire campaign there
was not q political address made IT the
county and all tho people knew about poll
tics was what they read in the newspapers.
There was but one county and state ticket
and that was the Democratic ticket. The
Republicans do not nominate in fazoo
county. This is why Republicans can only
vote their sentiments once in four
years. The negroes do not vote In
Yazoo c%ounty-not because OF any law
against their voting, but because they
are told that it is best for them to remain
away from the polls. The most of them
are discreet and take the hint. Said Mr..
smith last night:
"A colored man came to me some time
before the election and indicated that he
would like to vote. Voters have to regis
ter down there, and he wanted to know
where he should go TO register. He also
asked my opinion about his trying to vote.
/ said to him: You are getting along all
right now and not having any trouble are
you?' Yes he said. Well / added, 4
should advise you to not try to vote He
did not vote and possibly avoided trouble.
i am a Republican, and always vote for a
Republican President. But In the county
and municipal campaigns I usually vote
for the Democrats If they are good men. l
get along all right with my Democratic
neighbors because / do not interfere with
their affairs"
Mr.. Smith says the people in his part of
the country are really glad that Mckinley
was reelected. The Democrats themselves
are satisfied with the result. He says the
cotton crop in Yazoo county is a little
short this year, but it brings good prices
and the people are satisfied. THE people of
our part of the country always welcome
Northern men," Mr.. Smith says. They
are gradually coming to realize that they
must progress and are getting away from
the old fogy ideas. 1 suppose there were
possibly twenty men in our town who spent
last summer IN the East with their fami-
lies. They appreciate the fact that the
North is progressive. The rabid newspapers
of the North and South are all that keeps
this sectional feeling alive these days.
Something happens In the South, and the
fre-eating Northern newspaper gets 1T and
perhaps distorts it or publishes something
that is not true. The people of Mississippi.
for instance, read this, and Immediately
the fires of the old sectional hatred are re-
kindled. The same thing may happen when
a Southern newspaper publishes something
about the North-some affair that is ex-
aggerated, perhaps. The Northern people,
were they to read 1t, would naturally be
indignant"