Morris tribune., 1882-01-05
SOUTHERN MOONSHINERs.
A Rugged Mouutaineer's Ideas in Regard t
the Future of His People.

A Rugged Mouutaineers Ideas in Regard to
the Future OF His People.
Atlantic Monthly for January.
These mountalneers are race ola risto-
Gratis. They despise the life of towns and
cities and think the inhabitants of such
places much inferior to themselves in wis
dom, character and happiness. They are
all Repu blieans IN politics. I asked the
leaders in the mountains how they could
support the political party which makes
and executes all the laws and carries on al
the prosecutions against them; but they
said: jest so; yes, We know; but that makes
no difference. We know lot % them big
men s got the Comment now an runs it for
what they can steal. But we've always
voted agin them fine chaps down thar in
the towns, amt we always she'll" Both
the moonshiners and the business men in
the towns said that the continued manu-
facture of whisky in violation Of the laws
was partly feature of the old warfare of
the mountaineers against the civilization
and the people of the towns. Yes in many
instances this caste feeling seemed to be
an abstract or general idea rather than a
personal feeling, as the relations between
classes are often very kindly. But when
ever there is any display OF the patronizing
spirit, or feeling of class superiority, it is
ON the side of the mountaineers.
was soon informed of the meaning and
origin of the old mans saying, I'D orta
know, fur I've sarved my time," He was
one of the first men ever convicted and
punished under the revenue laws in that
| part of the country, and he had really
"served his time" in the Northern peniten-
tiary. On his way home he had been in
New York and Philadelphia, and had &C.
quired some definite, if not entirely cor
rect, ideas regarding northern civilization.
Neither he nor any of his class felt that there
was any degradation Or disgrace involved
| in their punishment for crime against the
revenue laws. They did not regard them
| selves as criminals, but app cared to accept
| the resulting hardships as a part of the
fortune of war;" They seemed to feel no
personal hatred against officers who had ar
rested them without unnecessary harshness
or insult. They often used the expression,
Il amt nothing agin him. ho only done
his duty" But their detestation of "the
reformer," as their phrase is, is most in
tense, and their thurst for revenge is rot
e1tinguishable by time.
I asked the old man if the unlawful dis
tlIling would always be kept up. 'sNo,
ment will never put it down. But thii
| hy ur contry's aIla-goln to change. Its D.
| goln to be most everlastin'ly improved, "
see. sha MT never be improved; I'm tor
old. But the old ways Is a-comin' to on
end. They's men a-buying up THOUSANDS Of
acres of this land. They'll bs railroads
built directly hither an yam, more'n'Il dc
anybody any good. They'll cut off tn,
woods for fuel an lumber an they'll bt
mines an quarries up hyur, they say. An
they'll be mean, dirty little towns laid out
all abou'. Then instid O. people drinkin
q little healthy whisky, as we've always done
they'll be forty times as much miserable p'i
son stuff sold an drunk, an whoever drinks
1t IL begin to see, and I reckon there viii
be some mighty fine houses built som ere
alsng this river, en- they IL put up big sclen
tifc locks on to their doors, an thieves
II come mp from Cincinnarter an Chat
noog. an break into EN-. They amt new.
er ben lock oa to door in these noun
tains But they's goin' to be the all-fredes
| people ii larn to steal too; hat to, to keey
up an live. An they'll be some O. then
city women hyur, I reckon, from them BIZ
places, with their fine feathers, and thei
dresses a-draggin' on to the ground. an
they'll be the devil to pay among our youn,
men. That's whatthey call civ'lyzation, ain.
it, stranger? tell ye. this country'n soon b.
improvin' like hell, but I shan't live to Sc.
much of it, I reckon. I've pretty nIgt
about sarved my time; but of you come
round hyer in about twenty years, mebb,
you'll remember what I've said. Our folk
is been hyur nigh on to a hundred years
an no man 'u'd ever say that one Of the
name nd lie or that anybody ever needed
help an didn't get it from the Foljambes
but they'll be more enterprise after awhile
| reckon. an we'll all be a-cuttin' one an
others throats."