The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-08
'ae Press and Banner.
Wednesday, Dec. 8. 1880.
The Christian Seighhor aud tie Horse
Race.

Our esteemed contemporary, the Christian
N.4gh5cr, last week used some pretty strong
.larsunse In reply TO our remarks In reference
to his proposition 10 suppress the State Fair,
bee ,uyc horse-racing WAS permitted on the
grounds Of the Fair Association. We know
TINT our good friend did not mean to mis'ep-
resent rs when he said that we had become
the "apologist OF horse-racing." The Press
and Banner Is no "arolosist' for evil OF any
kind. We,yield the ra.m to no newspaper IN
efforts 10 foster correct principles ana pure
morals. On the subject of Eo:se-raclhs we
are not well informed. Never having attend
ed but two OF three races, We arc indebted 10
hearsay for nearly all hat We know OF II. II
we understand 1t, the moral and religious
world does not base It's objection t. ho!so'la'
cirg upon tHc mere fact Of q trial oil tAc AMI
mails speed, but upon the existence OF the evil
80 generally connected with i;-that OF gam
hllnu-nnd the conseuucnt decentralization. II
I'VE understand the matter, and have stated 1t
fairly, the only difference between us is, rs 10
the best mode Of abating or correcting the
, evil. The Christian NcighIor would suppress
the Fair. The Press and Bdnnei would lh>tN
that higher moral principle which would re-
strain men from participating In these evils.
II this makes US an 'apologist' OF horse!a-
cling, then wo admit that we do not under
stand either ourselves or the Dlaincst words
Of the English language.
The Christian .Neighbor says: THE evil OF
drunkenness. &c, on Sale Day and political
"meetings are incident-may or may not be
"and are not in the programme OF the occa-
."sion, rs horse racing wa in thatof the Fair"
ssr.. 1..,,h Txin~l 1rrsa ,aoIru NUng In The
programme, but the evil connected with 1t
was only incident" as drunkenness Is on
Sale Day, and at political meetings. Must the
good pcoplc'of the whole Slate remain ut
homeand deny themselves the pleasures ana
benefits Of a social i~ntcrlninglins because per-
chance a few men choose To squanccr their
money on q horse-race, the billiard table, TIE
far.room or elsewhere? We think not. True
Christianity makes no such demand OF us.
Own up. Christian friend, were you cultiva-
ting that charity which lhinllcth no evil OIL Il
brother. when YOU wrote the following PARA
graph. and for the reproduction Of which we
arc compelled to ask the readers pardonf As
u rule the Press and Banner does not offend
common dccency by the use OF such words as
"buzzards," 'carrion crow" and every other
uncloan Bird" and therefore our readers are
not accustomed to see such words, but COM
Ing rs they do, in this instance, from II learned
aud dignitied divine, they may be considered
AS orthodox. The Christian N.iJhdcr says:
"While horse racing Is in and OF Itself not
as great Il violation OF the moral law as so:hc
other things, yet 1t Is acknowledged on MI
hands as q carcass" that invariably gathers
together the "cagles'-thc corinorants, the
.buzzards, the currion crows. and every other
tfnclean bird that can hop or dop It's way 10
the feast. And II some OF the more cc!iteel
neutrality-suspicious.. professors, congress
men, editors. cx-govcrnors, &c.-are present II
only shows that, for that course III the Dill
Of fare, they have q 'craw" which at meal
time illustrates the adage, birds VI u leather
lock together"
. 1t Is a well known fact that about an equal
humber OF ladies and gentlemen usually at
tend the Fair and witness the races. For this
reason we are greatly surprised at the expires.
xlons OF the Christian Ncighbor, and are ut Il
loss to know By what rule Of ethics ourIrlend
is warranted in applying coarse language TO u
large cuncourse OF ladies and gen.
t,cmen. We think his g%allantry, to
say nothing Of his sense OF justice aud his
convictions OF the propricticS OF life, should
have restrained him from applying. even in
fcrcntially, vulgar words 10 an assembly so
largely composed OF the purest ard best la
dies Of the State. Ordinarily an editor should
consider we'll whether the facts will bear him
,,ut in the use Of the most disgusting words
known In the English language.