The Monroe journal., 1921-05-06
Checker-Playing Texans Are
Reminder of Old Monroe DAYS
Observer" Recalls Incident Similar to That of Mr.
Plyer When He Was Superintendent of Schools:
Considers Esquiae Jerre C. Laney Rich.

.
justice OF the peace situated on the
ArkanSas-TeXas border who was call
ed on 10 try prisoner charged with
murder and horse stealing. He in
formed the accused that he might be
tried by either the Arkansas o. the
Texas law. just as he preferred. The
prisoner asked the judge TO state the
difference between the two codes so
that he might make a decision.
We'll. replied his honor, lin Ar
kansas we will let you OF for steal
ing the horse. but will have to hang
you for numbering its owner: but if
YOU want TO be tried by Texas law
We can let you of for the murder but
we'd be bound to hang you for steal
ing the horse" Texas lag is not so
strict now on horse stealing and some
folks complain that is il not much
harder on killing. but | don't think
this is true. It's about the average.
But they go after YOU for other
things. Down in nearby county the
other day they tried man in local
court for dancing the fox trot. The
judge was not so resourceful as the
Arkansas judge and so had to let
the culprit off. A dance had been
given in the church in Polish set
Element. under the auspices of the
priest. who decidedly objected TO the
| introduction of the fox trot and
brought an indictment in court next
day. As the whole bunch spoke no
English and the court and the law
yers spoke no Polack. the case pro-
ceeded with some difficulty. the
priest acting as Interpreter and thus
having things pretty much in his
own hands. The court thought the
charge was for disturbing religious
worship. but found out after a while
that ii was nothing Of the sort. but
was for dancing the kind of dance
which the priest forbade, to-wit. the
i fox trot.
The German Campaigner.
In this section there is a considera-
BILE German population. Some OF the
! rural sections are settled wholly by
them. These settlements date back
from the early history OF the state.
and some of them are new. From
the old settlers there are many de
scendants and German names abounf
Much of the substantial element of
San Antonio is OF German descent
Last night | heard native German
lawyer speak in the city campaign
which is now running at white heat
He was funny. He said that he had
lived in San Antonio about as long as
he had lived anywhere though for
eign born and could speak five lam
guages. He said: Il have roll up my
sleeve in dis fight. | will speak to
you in flemish, German, French. or
brogue like | talk now, which you pre-
fer. The crowd seemed to prefer the
brogue and so he stuck to il. He
made an effort for the women. II
seems that one of the candidates had
been violent anti-suffragist and said
hard things about the women before
they could vote, but was now taking 1t
all back. The German rubbed this
In to the opposing candidate. who 1t
seems, had irreverently referred to
the women as old hens and old cats.
Now" he said. listen all you girls.
for | call you all girls, for | got a
daughter younger as that lady out
there. tink you will vote no for
Meester Zell who say de old hens
shall not vote and den wen dey do
vote. he say. well, let de old cats vote
ef dey wants to-" This brought dawn !
the crowd. but the women. many OF
them apparently cultured ladies'. and
some Mexican mothers with their ha-
bies sprawled out on a blanket at
their feet, did not seem to be worried |
by II at all.
Politics In San Antonio.
But here the negroes and Mexicans
vote right along and the only obstruc-
ton Is a poll tax requirement. And
poll taxes are being paid up now. The
anti administration forces. which
claim that the ms are backed by big
business and have barrels of money.
say that officials have been guilty OF
on city contracts and
make their charges specific and above
BOARD The outs claim to represent a
limple reform movement that has no
money. The city has two elections.
he two candidates receiving the
highest vote In the first. or primary
election, running In the general cleo il
ion, and II Is not party primary at 4,
Ill. Nothing Is said about Demo- f.
rats or Republicans. The negroes
md Mexicans seem to be divided. |
lropped In at each headquarters and
ould not see much difference. except [
hat the administration forces SEEM 7
d to have more hangers-0n OF the {
ype that turn out at such times for j
he little money that's floating about. q
i man once told me that you could |
uy any Mexican. but that he had the q
feature OF staying bought |
nee he was bought and would not /
ell to the next man. II that is true 7
guess the politicians will not have {
he trouble and grief here that some I
I them used TO have in Union county O
hen a man had Ito be paid for his
avs work."
MIR. PIyIer's Little EScapade.