The Republican journal., 1906-03-15
door-plates one may usually read som
GornoO ar Towioh nama we'll known

in mercantile circles, most likely in jew
elry, "ready-made" and "bottled goods.
Money seems to stick to the palms OF
these people-just as readily as it slides
through the palms of their less fortu-
nate colored neighbors, who may, per
haps, eye them from across the street
with not the least envy in their hearts.
Fortunate thing. The races live in
harmony nearly everywhere; here be-
cause each knows the place he is prop
erly made to fill and does not attempt
ANYTHING above or below his real meas
ure of manhood. Perhaps some of the
better educated of the negroes have
more or less internal revolt at the stu
alton, but the greater number none at
all. From the mansion OF the wealthy
to the humble home of the poor IS but
a step anywhere, but in no part OF our
country is it so manifest as in the large
cities of the South. For the negro to
gain education and wealth the chances
are so unlikely as scarcely to be worth
consideration; for him to gain a social
position outside his own race Will for
ever be an impossibility. The result
of the latter problem is regarded as
sure. 1t is not unfortunate that 1t is
so. 1t is simply right and for the good
of posterity.
1t had been my purpose to devote
large portion of this letter to the superb
ball and pageant of the Mystic kreWe
of Proteus. who celebrated this year
with increased splendor their twenty
fifth anniversary. But find, as usual,
that my thoughts have run riot and the
space allowed by the kindness of the
editor for misdemeanorS of this nature
to be about filled The ball of Proteus.
which always Immediately precedes
Mardi Gras day, was so brilliant an
event and so replete with details in
way far outside the scope of the
writer's descriptive abilities, that he
has delegated this duty to the lady
member of the party who has promised
to get her pen in motion with this end
in view.
But of Mardi Gras itself | will briefly
speak, inasmuch as all coincide In the
fact that this seasons Carnival has out
done in splendor and attractlveness all
that have preceded. We must under
stand that the Carnival proper begins
January 9th with the ball of the Twelfth
Night Jewellers and ends with the ball
of the knights of Comus on the last
evening before Lent. Meanwhile there
are many masked balls at the French
Opera House and at least five grand
street pageants. There are numerous
other events centering round this hub
of the wheel, each one linked to the
other, but all pointing toward Mardl
Gras day-this year on the twenty
seventh of February. In the beginning
of these celebrations it is said that gen
eral masking and fun making on the
streets prevailed to a greater degree
than today; in fact was practically the
whole thing. Within thirty to fifty
wears the parades and balls have taken
the place of this, so that today the bulk
of the people are spectators rather than
participants. But masking and sport
in the open air is still much III evil
dence, furnishing the darby his one day
of pure equality before the law. 1t IS
children's day fully as much as the
Fourth of July, and men and women
of an older growth appear to enjoy the
absurd turnouts, the rollicking, laugh
breeding parades, the pretty as we'll as
the grotesque costumes of the young
sters, the imposing floats of the Carnl-
val clubs, every whit as much. There
is no question but little nonsense,
wisely and not too frequently admins
tered is better for the system than
some kinds of patent medicines, es-
pecially those conflicting with the
Maine prohibitory law.
This has been the third Carnival wit
messed by the writer and there most
assuredly has been no dimlnutlon OF
attractiveness or interest shown. The
tendency is rather to greater lavlshness,
to grander conceptions i'll tableaux at
the balls, TO more ludicrous sights and
scenes on the streets. 1t has been an
ticipated that as the active men of the
COS and 70s were removed from par
ticipation by age or death, the younger
element-their would not
feel the vital glow of their elders in
sustaining the glory of this occasion
and incidentally paying the bills there
of. But it has proved otherwise. Ihey
are there with the goods, and better
goods each year Should there be any
lack of interest i'll the future it is quite
certain that the railroads, hotels and
business men of Canal and adjoining
streets would add stimulation 10y com
ing forward with the cash, Much
money is brought into the city by the
Carnival crowds. The estimate has
been made by railroad people that no
fewer than $4,000 visitors came INTO
town for the event of Mardi Gras this
year; and holiday crowd usually has
money to spend because 1t is day long
looked forward to and planned for. SO
it seems to be we'll assured that the
celebration of Mardi Gras will be a
permanent institution and will instruct
and amuse generations to come after
us.
In years gone by many customs pre-
vailed which have been changed or modl-
fed to suit the conditions of to day.
Long ago the masking continued to
midnight and with the result Of giving
to gangs of rowdieS, stimulated by re-
peated potations of booze, the opportu-
nifty Of insulting ladies and of many in
decencies without fear OF recognition.
Now this is all changed and all masks
must be off by 6 O'Clock or arrest will
follow. Certainly this is most i'm
portant modification. But the worst
nuisance ever known in connection
with the Carnival was the throwing of
flour on the spectators from the bal
comics and in the street. There are al
ways plenty who will abuse pleasing
custom and of course those who will GO
to the limit in showing up the disagree
able side of bad one are just as many.
There have been many beautiful gowns
soiled or ruined by this custom and it
was a relief when the entire privilege
in this line was withdrawn by the au-
This hnwaupr