The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-18
Freak jKoosier Mames i.

| Special attention OF the Census Depart.
ment has been attracted 10 the grea,
| number OF peculiar town names In India
ma. IL is claimed that nowhere east OF the
land OF Poker Flat Roaring Camp and
| Dead Dog is there state that has 80
| many incpient cities blasted with freak
names. At the head OF the list one finds
Santa Claus. Big Foot. Sleepy Eye. Pig
| nut, Popcorn, Dern. Soonever, Crumtown,
Zulu and Zipp and hundred more pace
makers. such as Pinhook, Henpeck CLASSY
Rock and 'Possum Trot all OF which have
their places on the map.
IL has beer suggested by census officers
suggestion from a neighboring state,
whose legislature was confronted during
the past winter with petition for enact
ment. making II "A penal offence to attach
nickname 10 any citizen. IT was urged,
and with plenty OF historical citations,
that many worthy, ambitious man and
woman had been handicapped in his or
her race for prominence by such a simple
milestone as skinny" Long Blll' or
sleepy" and that often II finally drag
ged them under the waves OF absolute de-
feat. The discussion went so far that IT
was shown that even among the legtl-
mate names there were those that carry
with them prejudice OF weakness and 10
overcome such handicap many strong
man has been forced to pitch his weak
given names overheard. or. at least, save
only the wreckage-the initials
lt is urged that IL would be well FOR not
only the town sites. but the residents OF
these freaklshly named villages for the
Indiana legislature TO consider at least
q hundred OF them. The residents OF the
towns. as rule, stand ready for the re-
lief. They find that many times their post
ouicc address II as great a milestone tied
around the neck OF their ambition as
though a nickname had been saddled d.
rectly on them. A resident OF Popcorn
points out that as q statesman i'm the leg
isln ture--if he ever got that far--he
might be "A strong aud able man and the
fother OF a good and needed bill. But in-
VOWED I'm light along close partisan
lines, by employing ridicule. the most po-
tent OF destructive forces when public
sentiment Is factor. jimcrow states
man OF the opposition might render him
ineffective and defeat the bill with such
simple allusions ~ "the able statesman
from classic Popcorn. who presents this
measure" etc. Had Nicholson. the author
OF Indiana's present law regulating liauor
traffic. come from Corkwell Instead or
Eokomo. the association OF his town
name and his measure that restricted sa-
loon rights would have turned the state
90 ridicule and he could never have en-
gincered the bill through the fierce party
npht that centred around ID for weeks
Had Governor Durbin hailed from Pignut
instead OF Anderson. he would have been
forced 10 organize against the raillery OF
"Pignut Taylor"
N Riley had come from Beechy Mire In
stead OF Greenfield. he would have had TO
overcome The Singing Bard OF Beechy
Mire." or "Beechy Mte Jim" and HIS
nght FOR recognition was severe enough
as II was Even if May Wright Sewel
who succeeded Lady Churchill a. the
head Of the International Association of
Womcns ciuh. had come from Rig Foot
when next she presided al an information.
al meeting there might he those who
would call her Rig Foot Mae" and she
never could have been elected 10 this sx-
aitcd position " this boomerang had been
started as political slogan or opposition.
10 would he unfortunate FOR any candidate
for an Indiana state office 10 come from
Paradise. Dern. Crumtown. or a hundred
or more Infected town sites in the state
Ia urging reform in Indiana tovn
names II is pointed ont that IA would take
al least solconda diamond mine a
Huku OIL Gushcf. ~ ten Jumbo eas wells
20 auchor real hoom ~ Rocgsfopu Ia
'sonville. Creamburs, ijarns,iils, Sweet |