The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-06
SUITING THE CROWD
Arp Tells Some Good Stories on
Politicians.

no uo OF say anyUnlnH IndG
runs against their opinions. their interests or
their preiudices. Zeb Vance said that one
time away back when he was running for con-
gress against Holden he had to go over
mountain range and down into a valley where
he had never been before. The humble peo-
pie in that valley were almost cut off and hid
out from the rest of the world and especially
from that side of the world in which Mr.. Vance
lived. He knew nothing about their politics OF
their religion. "North Carolina is q curious
state, said he "Her religion is specked and
spotted like it had the measles
In one valley you will find the people
all Episcopalians however poor or primitive.
The ancestors or first settlers came from old
England and brought that religion with them.
and, as nobody moved in or moved out their
descendants kept the faith of their fathers. In
another valley you will find them all Presby-
terians, because the ancestors came from Scot
land. In another they will be all Methodsts
or all Baptists, and every one of these separate
communities will have an old patriarch work
ng in the lead, and he is looked upon rs thei
bell-wether of the flock. Now, it is necessary
that politician should know the religious faith
of those with whom he is 'lectioneering' for
votes. If he can't chime in with it exactly he
musent say anything 'agin' it. Now said
Vance, when | got over into the valley to
meet my appointment, l found about seventy
five OF the humble sovereignS gathered at the
crossroads where there was a little store and n
wagon shop and q westinghouse. They had on
their homemade clothes and were standing
around chawing tobacco and talking about
craps and waiting for me to come. | soon
got familiar with them and got them i'll first
rate humor but as Holden was to come over
in a day or two / wanted to fix things in some
way so that he could ent untiX them. Holden
n Methodist |
people were. noticed an old man sitting off
on chunk and marking in the sand with his
long walking stick. He had on big brass spec
tacleS and his heavy shaggy eyebrows and big
long nose indicated character and SO | set him
down as the bell-wether of the flock. After
while got up close to him and was about to
address him when he gave prayerful grunt
and gotu and braced himself on his stick and
looking at me said in n solemn voice, This
Is Mr.. Vance l believe" 'Yes sir'' said /, Civ
ing him my hand. "And | am Emanual
Stenor said he and l suppose you have
come over the mounting to talk to my
boys about their votes" ayes, SIR said'I,
that is my principal business and /" "Well,
Mr.. Vance," said he, interrupting me "be-
fore you proceed any further with that bust
ness, would like to AK you question or two"
Certainly sir" said L; certainly. Well,
Mr.. Vance, allow me to ak you what church
do You belong top
"Well, that was sockdologer and 1t come
right straight at me, and for moment was
demoralized, but rallied, and as the boys had
all gathered around to hear the old man put
me through, | cleared my throat and said.
THAT is fair question, my friend; fair
question, and L will tell you about that. My
grandfather came from England, and as over
there the established church was Episcopalian,
of course he was an Episcopalian."
paused moment to see the effect of this,
but there was none that was favorable. The
old man marked a little more in the sand and
spit his tobacco away off on one side.
So / continued: "But my grandmother
came from Scotland, and you know that John
Knox left his mark upon that whole nation,
and so of course she grew up Presbyterian.
paused again, but there was no sign, no
awakening, no chord struck, and the old man
marked some more in the sand "But my
friend, my father was born and grew up in a
Methodist community, who were in this coun-
try, and converted by John Wesley, and, of
course, he became a Methodist" I thought
that now had him sure, but didn't There
was no sign of sympathy from him or the boys
and so | took my last shot "But my good old
mother, sir, was born and raised a Baptist, and
it's always been my opinion that a man has got
to go under the water before he can get to
heaven" A CLEAN of satisfaction spread all
over the old mans face as he said: "Give me
your hand, Brother Vance. Boys, / told
you SO; told you that he were a Baptist
afore he come. He is the man. You can
all vote for him, but Holden won't
do nary time for they do say that he is one of
these shouten, cavortin Methodists"
] Was thinking about this when / arrived at
Admission and Ironaton and Tennifer and all
these iron towns, and where / found every
man, woman and child red hot for protection
1t is not healthy for man to talk free trade
down here-and he must not say much about
tariff reform or cut rates. These people say
'let well enough Alone and / don't blame
them, for there Is more life and thrift and in
dustry and happiness around these furnaces
than anywhere L have been. Admission has
now ten thousand inhabitants and is increas-
ing fifty per cent year. The signs Of Wig
orous prosperity are all about. The hotel next
the depot has just added sixty rooms, and Is
crowded all the time. The new compress han
died twenty thousand bales Of cotton the past
season. A grand union depot is going up.
The great southern car works are estab-
lished with n million dollars capital and
many new plants and enterprises are projected.
Where does all this money come from?
But my business was not there. l had q
pleasant invitation to get out of the world for
little while, and so went over the noun
tains and found myself in Clay county and
down among people who are happy in their
homes. people who are all farmers and have
simple habits and limited desires. A people
who indulge in no folly and hanker after no
big thing. The communities of Jincville and
Ashland are as well TO do rs can be found in
any farming country. There arc no delapi-
dated homesteads to be seen. No rotten
fences or persisted out stock. They raise their
own corn and meat They sell more than
they buy, and have accumulated enough to
build academies and churches of good style
and capacity. The schools are prospering and
nothing seems lacking to their happiness
save railroad. They average about
thirty miles from a railroad market, and have
to cross mountains that are a trial and a
trouble, and was told that IL cost those peo-
pie about fifty thousand dollars year to
wagon their commerce to market and back.
They raise eight thousand bales of cotton, and
il costs two dollars and half bale 10 get 1t
to railroad. Well, they have fine land, and
they have iron and tin and copper and gold,
but they want a railroad. don't think that q
railroad will increase their happiness, but it
looks like their time has come for a railroad.
There are grown-up children over there who
never saw a circus, nor monkey show, nor
the negro Ministries, nor slight Of hand. The
book agents get over there, and Just harvest.
Now shall We give those good, kind hearted,
hospitable, Christian people chance TO see
come Of these things, or not. That county has
sent out lots Of good men, and great men. from
Senator Morgan down. They are all for Nor
gan over there. Well it Is strange that noun
tain range should make such difference in
people. All for protection on one side and all
against 1t on the other. I'm afraid that our
people are not going to harm0nize on this great
question Politics is hard road to travel IL is
a science and has TO be studied just like mathe-
mates or any other science. If a man succeeds