Show Emancipation Anniversary WAsnrsoTOS April 16Today was the twentyfourth anniversary of the emancipation of the slaves in the District Dis-trict of Columbia and the event was celebrated in a somewhat unusual manner man-ner The colored people disagreed among themselves as to how the celebration cele-bration should be conducted and as a result divided into two factions one headed by W C Chase editor of a colored col-ored newspaper and the other by Perry Carson who was a delegate to the last Republican National convention Each party made elaborate arrangements for the parade and public meeting night and each endeavored to excel the display dis-play of the other The Chase party completed its pro ramme first and managed to secure for their parade the services of the principal colored military organizations of the district and three companies from Balumore besides several social organizations The Carson procession did not include as many militia companies but it had more bands of music and was particularly par-ticularly strong in civic organization the foremost of which were the Hod carriers Union and employees of brickyards brick-yards Each procession contained several wagon loads of colored women dressed in white and colored dresses representing the Goddess of Liberty Queen of May etc The Carson procession also tad wagons on which was a United States yacht borrowed from the Aavy for the occasion occa-sion and which was christened IP C Whitney in honor of the Secretary of the Navy Party feeling ran high Lnd it was feared that trouble would ensue in case the two processions should come together Fortunately nothing of the kind occurred lhe two processions formed in different sections of the city and although both had selected pretty much the same line of march they moved over it at different times and without collision In view of the lack of harmony between the two parties the President positively refused to review either procession Both passed in front I of the White House but mounted I policemen guarded the gates and prevented them entering the grounds I The President through his private I secretary had previously notified the I chairmen of the opposing committees that it would give him pleasure to accept ac-cept a joint invitation to review one procession in which all could amicably participate but that he could not take sides in a quarrel and therefore declined to accept either of the invita tations to review the party A strong effort was made to reconcile the differences differ-ences between the two factions and have them unite in one demonstration and so secure the Presidents recognition recogni-tion but without success |