The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1896-08-04
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
HARITs AND PREJUDlCES DIS
CUSSED AT LENGTH.
The Philosopher Calls Upon History
to Sustain His Deductions.

The Philosopher Calls Upon History
to Sustain His Deductions.
Ben Franklin said. that man was
bundle Of habits. Somebody else said
he wes bundle OF prejudices. It is
fair to say that his habits outlive his
prejudices. Mine have, 1 know. My
order of life. my daily routine, my
food and clothing, my time to go to
bed and to rise in the morning hold
me faster than they did thirty years
ago. Habit comes from the Latin word
.shabeo," to hold-to hold fast. l
can't hoe OF chop left-handed. Un-
consciously 1 dress and undress the
same way every time and always put on
nv left shoe first. When my good
friend, Major Foute, lost his right arm
in battle be was young and soon learn.
ed to write with his left hand. II !
were to lose mine now I do not believe
I would ever learn to use my lett.
am too old and the habit has held me
too long. It is hard to teach an old
dog new tricks. Brutes are subject to
the same force. I had an old mare
who contracted habit Of letting the
bars down to get into another field,
and she would let them down to get
out of good pasture into g poor one.
But + feel sure that have got over
some Of my prejudices. Daniel Web
ster told his people they had conquer
ed everything but their prejudiees.
Nothing but old age and reflection
will conquer them. They are hard to
give up, for most Of them are born
with US. Our religion and supersti-
tion and political faith, as 8 general
rule, are Inherited. Like father like
son, like mother like daughter. Ii the
old man shakes piece of silver coin
at the new moon or makes a cross
mark in the road when he turns to &C
| back, the son will do it, too. If the
mother will not begin a garment OF
Friday the daughter will not. And st
it is with our religion. I am Pres
byterian because my parents were.
could have just as easily been Bap
r7>sist if they had been. Or 1 coult
have Methodist OF an Episco
palian. h>5:;es not shock me to So.
so now, and I hor, it does not shocl
anybody else. seetarianism abound
in prejudice nheriffsd more than &C
ouired from ratioAal methods. On
: Christian faith is ebout as good as al
other If it suits the Christian. I wonl
1 not proselyte any}of them ii I coule
I would not disturb the peace Of
8 Methodist family by seeking to dra'
away single member Of it to m
church. I like my church not becaus
= I believe it to be the best, but fror
'ong familiarity with its mode OF wo'
l ship. I f<el more at home there. Th
Presbyterian habit has got hold Of N
lust like the Methodist habit has &C
hold CT Father Wikle. In fact, l bt
lie7e a better service could be made u
by calling out the best thingsin al! th
churches
4 For instance, the Methodist an
Episcopal communion service'is MOI
solemn and impressive than ours, an
50 is kneeling and bowing in praye,
t The Episcopal church has too niue
rising up and sitting down-the othe
! churches hay too little. I would lik
to see the Litany adopted in all tt
churches and hear every child join !
{ the responses.
But of all prejudices the stronge
l and most unreasonable are OF a polit
col nature. Political intolerance
oot tempered or toned down by Chri
. tian charity. Bitter partlzans ma
9 appear to be friendly, but at heart al
enemies. When prominent one di'
his political foes thank God for th'
much. Those who co7et the Office
E will use all kinds of hypocrisy to g
l them, What makes the matter
ridiculous is tie absolute ignorance
the masses of these partisans concern
ing the principles of their part.
When David Bennett Hill straightene
up and said, 81 am a demoerat!" b
utterance was echoed from mlllle
. throats all over this broad Ian
= What did he mean? I am sure
not know. It has been nearly iii
= years since T cast my first vote, and
), was for democrat. But there wei
no such issues then. The great Que
ton was whether the federal govern
= nent should make appropriations Il
: internal Improvements or not. Up
o that time no rivers had been cleane
l out and no postcfices or public bull
. incs built in the interior cities. 3
j now every muddy creek and every tw
: norse town must have on appropr1s
e ton. Free trade was once an Issue
r but it is not now. Tariff reform an
! protection have been occasional issue
/ for fifty years and more, but SOM
t times the parties compromise on INC
! dental or accidental protection. II
;. republicans claim to be for protectlo
and Mr.. Mckinley championed bl
through that did protect his part
friends and left out those who wei
not He took off the duty on mang
s nese and ruined the best industry Y
had in this region. A company tn
bad invested s3O0,000 in this coun'
d in that business and was paying o.
), $4,000 a week for labor. E7erythlr
: in Gainesville prospered and we cou
pay our little debts with alacrity, al