The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-11
lALLCLASSES
MINCLE HERE
ELECTION DAY
Secrecy Cast Aside-Throngs
of Voters Mark Ballots
Openly in Court
House Lobby.
IT'S A HOLIDAY AFFAIR
Many Strange Conversations
Are Heard and Sights
Seen as Columbia Vot-
ers Cast Ballots.

Democracy-the kind that had It's
birth in Greece centuries ago-and its
responsibilities, was calmly and cour-
agecusly met by the citizens of Columbia
Tuesday. To have 4 voice in govern
ment was made easy so far as voting was
concerned, at least. There were ballots
for the asking, stacked on four tables in
the Boone County Courthouse.
If a voting booth appeared to suggest
. exclusive aristOcracy, rather than wide
open democracy, the voter was at liberty
10 mingle with the crowd in the Court
house lobby while placing his authori-
taiive cross on the blanket ballot and
the constitutional ballot.
Hundreds of ballots were never taken
inside a booth, but instead the long
sheets of paper were placed against a
wall, dcor-facing, or other smooth sur
face while the voters mark was placed
on the ballot in full view of other per-
sons. During the afternoon, the throng
Of voters discussing and marking their
ballots openly in the lobby, where three
precinct tables were located, resembled
busy Christmas shoppers, in gift store.
checking of the names of relatives and
friends for whom gifts were beinS
bought. Occasionally the scene took on
religious air as some voter went down
on his knees to place his ballot against
the polished surface of the marble wains-
coting of the lobby.
Age and color rubbed elbows good
naiuredly. At the table of one precinct
was a white haired man leaning on the
arm Of a woman. He was past ninety
years of age and had been of voting age
seven years before Lincoln's first election
AT the time this aged voter was receiv-
ing his ballots, woman with baby
in her arm was receiving ballots at anoth-
er precinct table in the same room.
When the rush of voting began in the
afternoon, a rope barrier was placed
across the entrance to the lobby and the
voters were allowed TO enter only in
groups as the officials could accommo-
daie them. No discrimination was made
between young and old, white or black,
rich or poor.
In one group patiently waiting admit
tance to the voting place was a college
professor, a factory foreman. a negro
with the word 'dray' on his cap, a white
man carrying a square tin lunch-pail, an
old negro man holding big knotty cane
and leaning on the arm of a serene-look-
ing young mulatto girl. There were many
other persons, some Of whom had tired
lines cut deep into their faces, all close
ly packed into the narrow corridor, but
with few exception all expressed holi-
day spirit that would do honor to a per.
iod six week later.
Negroes we're out TO vote early. There
were old men among them who could
scarcely shuttle along with the assist
ance of cane and the arm of a young
man, and there were negro women who
appeared mere girls. All received bal
lots along with the white voters of both
sexes. At the entrance to the west walk,
a group of negro men and women, a sort
OF political information bureau, was sta
toned where most of their race entered
the voting place.
A negro man who expressed his in
tention of voting a straight Democratic
ticket was heard to ask white man:
''How does y'u vote for Mistah Reed?"
We'll" replied the white man. the
way | voted for Senator Reed was by
putting a cross in the little square in
front of Brewster's name"
The negro looked puzzled for a few
seconds. then chuckled, ~Y'u kind ah
scratchin' Mistah Reed, aint y'u?"
When the polls opened at o'clock,
the hands Of the square clock on the
wall overlooking three precinct tables
stood a, two minutes past eight. When
the polls closed at seven that evening
the hands of the clock still remained at
two minutes past 8. Voters during the
day would often look at the clock, then
with a puzzled expression on their faces
quickly consult their watch.
Around the four tall stone columns
which adOrn the southeast corner Of the
courthouse yard there were the usual
groups of political wiseacres during most
every hour the polls remained open. Their