Evening star., 1926-12-05
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Half a century ago a comparatively
new word was coming into circulation
Origin of arose, ar ss''s as 'vl Will sppesr
"Pulldo,e from the following
1"o10' In The Star Of No
yember %, 1876. in certain practices
In the South incident to "reconstruc-
ton:
I'VE gave from a Northern paper
the other day the definition Of the
new word coinage 'hull.doze. The
authority quoted from was Of the
opinion that it originated from bull
dosing negroes in Louisiana--that is.
giving a whipping--a hull-dose or
dose fit for a. bull-to induce them to
vote the Democratic ticket. The
Charleston News and Courier now
rises and says that the word Is of
negro parentage, and that last Spring
in the parishes Of East and West
Feliciana, and East Baton Rouge large
numbers of negroes began to join the
Democratic party. The Republican
leaders determined to put stop to
1t and formed societies for the purpose
of whipping in the backsiiding ne
grOes. Democratic colored men We're
seized and made to join the Repub-
lican societies. Usually tyranny made
them comply. hut II they refused
they were whipped with a bull-whip
until they consented to join the league
or leave the State. In every obsti-
nate case the brethren were In the
habit of administering a bulls dose
Of several hundred lashes on the hare
hack. When dealing with those who
were hard to convert, active members
would call out. Give me the whip
l. n
From this It became easy to say.
That fellow ought to he bull-dosed.'
or 'bull-dozed.' and soon bulldoze.
ll-doAng and bull.dozers came to he
slang words"
Georgetown preserved it's municipal
entity separate from Washington for
nearly a century
Georgetown and after the organi.
Washington, tyact zat.on If OF ro1Mnb,s IN. ns-
Half a century ago the subject Of
possible analgamation was under dis
cussion in connection with the pro-
posals for the reorganization Of the
District government. The Star OF
November 90. 1875. says:
ITO constitute an organic whole. Of
which every part is In vital conference
with the other. the name Of George
town should be consolidated with that
Of Washington. Their natural rela-
tions require a unity Of name as well
as of government. The most intelli-
gent and substantial citizens Of
Georgetown. representing every class
of society, commercial. mechanical
and professional. just before the late
Civil War, assembled at Forrest Hall
to discuss this matter and agitated a
| union with Washington. to all intents
and purposes. To be absorbed In
metropolis Of the Nation they regard
1t az no derogation from their dignity
| or their material interests. but, on the
contrary. an a decided advantage In
both respects. To adhere. on the
ground of sentiment, to q. name, sig
nificant Of nothing, importing no cor
porate authority. simply a shell
mere form without inward substance
and serving to maintain and keep
alive an injurious distinction without
| q difference-was deemed puefile and
absurd. The natural division between
Georgetown and Washington Ia a
shallow stream epanned by bridges
| and traversed by railroads at every
point Of communication, and Com.
missioner Phelps has recently stated
that it is part OF the plan Of future
local improvements to arch Rock
Creek and, by making the surface Of
| the contiguous soil continuous, oblit.
| crate every trace Of territorial parti.
| ton.
Georgetown. by keeping the old
designation. loses the facility OF the
free delivery system Of post ofice
matter and IL sighted and ignored In
manifold directions, solely by reason
of the supposed antagonism between
the two communities created by the
divereity Of nAraeA. The opposition
Of oseesstown - ths pro1essd change