Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1904 — Huns Instead of Negroes. [ARTICLE]

Huns Instead of Negroes.

It is enough to make alt the old Mississippi River men who Save passed away and gone to their reward stir in the tomb could they know that Hungarians are to be substituted for negroes as roustabouts on the river. This shatters the last tradition. We cannot Imagine these silent, taciturn little men of Central Europe making the mdonlight nights vocal with their minstrelsy on the lower deck, or scrambling with each other for nickels thrown by sportive passengers. Nor shall we believe that the mate dare unwind that panorama of picturesque profanity at his long, wavering, undulating line of roustabouts as they move from deck tp slrore with the cargo The roustabout hears these objurgations with a joyous and appreciative ear and welcomes a burst of originality in it by rolling the whites of his eyes expressively at his fellows, or, if it is particularly moving, by a loud “Yah, yah, yah,” that is reward enough for the objurgator. What will the Hungarian care for the expletive wit that stirs the responsive negro heart so deeply? He will not understand it and if he did his perception of the humor of swearing is not of the open and ready nature of that of the sons of Ham. He would get mad about it Everything is changing on the river. The passengers are not the same, the boats are smaller, the table fare is sadly scant and luxury has long since departed.—St. Louis Globe-Democrat