Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-03

Mountain DlstriCts.
Sectionalists who desire TO create for
themselves field of operations and an
Income in a charming and healthful
southern climate not infrequently write
very touching articles for the northern
press on the deplorable condition of the
mountain whites" of the south and the
need of mission work" among them.
Such persons, in descriptions of life
among the mountains of western North
Carolina and east Tennessee, pile ON
the agony" in q marvellous manner. Some
times they do it with an utter disregard
for the truth. They represent the excep-
ton to be the rule, and picture scenes
and conditions common enough in parts
of the north and west perhaps, large
cities as well as country places, but very
rare among the people of the Appalachian
region Of the south. One would think
from their accounts that the southern
mountains were swarIning with cave
jewellers The aim seems to be to per-
petpate the ideas Of that class Of philan-
thropists who find a peculiar pleasure in
contemplating poverty, ignorance and
war.
Not long since The sun noticed an ap-
peal Of this sort for aid to mission work
for mountain whites showing that it
was in effect libel upon the people it
protessed to describe. Any person ia
miliar with the Appalachian region Of
the south would see at glance how ab-
suri the whole thing was. The CHI sstian
Union for Dec. 81. 1892, contains letter
from Rev. D. Atkins, Methodist minis
ter Of Hendersonyille, y. c., which CON-
pletely demolishes the mountain white
myth Mr.. Atkins VIII be conceded to
know what he is writing sbout. he was
born and reared in the alleged God for
saken region Of poverty, ignorance, vice
and degradation. He entered college
there, entered the ministry there and
spent i years there IS minister and
teacher.
As Methodist minister" he says, Il
have gone into the most out Of the way
places and mingled freely with al sorts
Of people in 20 counties Of North Caro-
Ina and Virginia and in nearly su tie
worst parts Of east Tennessee. l have
visited these people at their homes, have
eaten with them, slept in their houses
and seen them in every condition Ye-
Mr.. Atkins has not once beheld the Stun
scenes Mrs. Paddock described in 8 -
cent number Of The Christian Cui0--
Your correspondent, he saws. ms
have found some secluded spot I ERE
saw, for in all my travels never ~
the things she writes Of. and Z sss-s
strange that | should not e7sz EE-s
heard Of such things IN al th=ss rsz-z.
There is poverty here and igng-z-ua SO.
bat neither is in that prsTals-1 f1--n III
would suppose from the article & NJ
Paddock. You might i've here a. are
and never hear Of such savage E-l5 vrss-5
funeral customs a. Professor Beuis. al
other correspondent writing from the
south, told your readers about
The situation IL not such as was DE-
scribed by The Unions correspondents.
Putting il II a nutshell. Mr.. Atkins saws
Of Mrs. PsddOck's picture: she has pre- /
sented the very worst possible case that |
could be found in the renotest pan and /
made II q sample Of all the 2. 600. 900 here.
50 that II any one should receive an i'm I.
preston from such writing be would sup
pose no other kind of people could be .
found here"
As matter Of fact. the mountain
whites" are not a distinct class Their
ancestors, says Mr.. Atkins, were not out
laws, but pioneers from the coast coun-
try. They generally own their farms and
lra
hunt for living is absurd. There is lit
tie wealth and not as much luxury as
might be, but the people live decently. /
There are some log houses, three-fourths
of which have windows. None are plas-
tered with mud, as alleged, or without
wooden floors. But few have only one
room. Generally the houses are quite
comfortable. All have good open fire
places. Fuel is abundant and costs moth
ing, so that the correspondents story of
children covering their limbs with warm
ashes to keep from freezing is specially
absurd. The people, Mr.. Atkins affirms,
are already religious and moral. They OBJ
serve Sunday and attend Sunday school.
There is scarcely district where there's
not school for at least three months In
the year. Few persons are unable to read
and write, and such cases are 80 rare as
to excite surprise among the neighbors.
As respects the girls who were de
scribed as overworked and vicious, Mr..
Atkins says not one in hundred would
know herself by that description. "The
common virtues" he chastity,
honesty. truthfulness, etc.-are rather