The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-21
BILL APP.
America the Place for Poor Boys.
atlanta Constitution.

DR.. Nunnally was telling about poor
boy who was working his way through
College. He worked for hire on farm
at $50 month and his board, and saved
his wages and went to school, and during
vacation he hired out and lived hard and
did his own washing. That boy is in ear
nest and needs watching. am going to
watch that boy If live and see what be-
comes Of him. They are not common. I
knew one in college forty-five years ago.
He walked from North Alabama to
Athens, Ga, and his clothes were all
homemade and coarse and didn't fit
we'll. I remember that his pants were
too short at the bottom and too long at the
top, and the waist seam Of his brown
jeans coat was high up on the back. The
boys laughed at him on the sly, but they
dident laugh long, for he soon took the
lead and kept 1t. II he hadent got killed
in the war he would have beeh leader
in his State right now.
This is a great and glorious government.
There is none like it upon the face of the
earth. The fact that the highest places in
the nation are in the reach of the hum
blest citizen-that tailor can become
president and millboy a senstor, and
lad who plowed bull for lack OF "some-
thing better" has held more offices and
higher Offices in Georgia than any three
of her most gifted citizens-isa wonderful
thing. England and Germany have good
governments, but over there poor boy
has got to have help to rise. He must be
kin to somebody who has power or infiu-
ence. He must have a cousin in Berlin
or an uncle in parliament, but the field is
open here-open to all. Aristocracy is
not the passport here. 1t Is merit and
diligence.
Honor and shame from no conditions rise.
A venerable gentleman quoted that to
me and said: "I used to be proud Of my
lineage, and was inclined to boast of the
good blood that was in my veins but one
day was talking to an old kinsman
about our ancestors, and he said: "Well,
yes, my son, there was some good people
away back there, but the stock sorter run
down. Your pap and your grandpap be-
haved mighty we'll, but some of the boys
dident. Your Uncle Dick stole bag Of
taters often hatboat, and they cotch him
at it, and took him down in the canebrake
and whipped him. And there was so
much talk about Toms marking every
stray sheep and shote in his mark that he
took a sudden notion to move to Arkan-
sas, and I haint heard Of him since.
Some Of the stock was good, but some
was powerful covychus."
Well, of course there is something in
luck, for Solomon says, "Time and
chance happeneth to ALL" but as gener-
al thing merit and diligence are rewarded
in this country. Andy johnson became
president, and John Tyler, did, too, but
John was reduced after his time was out,
and the County Commissioners made him
an overseer of the public road, which
shows the ups and downs Of fame and
politics. But good conduct and good
principles pay in the long run, if they
don't in the short. was Illuminating
about this yesterday as our train passed
lot Of convicts who were working the
road between Atlanta and Decatur. It is
sad and melancholy spectacle to see
them in their striped uniforms and hear
the clink of their ankle chains as they
came down with their picks into the hard
ground or tossed the earth away with
their shovels. They looked healthy and
strong and contented, but I don't know
how they felt. They were all negroes,
and they don't feel much-not much PEN
itence and less modification. There are
1,737 convicts now in our State-that
many in our State system under lease.
There are some more on the public roads
OF the Counties, and nearly all are ne
groes. There are only ITO white convicts,
and not white woman. Nearly sixteen
hundred colored are wearing the stripes,
and forty-seven of these are women.
What is the matter with the negroes?
When will they do better7 Nearly all of
these convicts are between sixteen and
forty, and buta very few were ever In
slavery. They have been to school most
of them, and most Of them are from the
cities and towns. The old-time negroes
are not in the chaingang. They had no
schooling, but they had moral training.
What is to become of the negro' He has
less excuse for crime than 2 white man.
His wants are few; it takes less to do
him; he is not cramped by society nor
social temptation; days honest work
will support him for two days; he pays
no tax; and yet the devil seems to be in
hl~: There are 80 per cent. more whites
than Regroeg ip this State, and yet the
negroes commit nine times more crimes.
The problem isnot solved. Ihave before
me very able paper on the race problem
by humane and gifted citizen Of Louisi-
siana. 1t was written some years ago,
and he then thought that education would
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