The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-08-05
BILL ARp'S LETTER.
Bill Discusses Habits and Prejudices at
Some Length.
atlanta Constitution,

atlanta Constitution.
Ben Franklin said that man was
bundle of habits. Somebody else said
he was bundle of prcjudices. 1t is
fair to say that his habits outlive his
prejudiccs. Mine have, / know. My
order of life, my daily routine, my
food and clothing, my time to 60 to
bed and to rise in the morning hold
me faster than they did thirty years
ago. Habit comes from the Latin
word "habco, to holl--to hold fast.
| can't hoe or chop left-handed. In
consciously | dress and und-ess the
same way every time and always put
on my left shoe first. When my good
friend, Major Foutc, lost his right
arm in battle he was young and soon
learned to write with his left hand. If
| were to lose mine now | do not be-
lieve would ever learn to use my left.
am too old and the habit has held
me too long. 1t is hard to teach an
old dog new tricks. Brutcs arc sub
iect to the same force. l had an old
mare who contracted habit of letting
the bars down to get tinto another field,
and she would let them down to get
out of good pasture into poor one.
But | feel sure that l have got over
some of my prejudices. Daniel Web
stcr told his people they had conquer
ed everything but their prejudices.
Nothing but old age and reflection
will conquer them. They arc hard to
give up, for most of them are born
with US. Our religion and supersti-
ton and political faith, as a general
rule, arc Inherited Like father like
son, like mother like daughter. If
the old man shakes 4 piece of silver
coin at the new moon or makes cross
mark III the road when he turns to go
back, the son will do it, too. If the
mother will not begin a garment on
Friday the daughter will not. And so
it is with our religion. | am Pres.
byterian because my parents we're. l
could have just as easily been Bap-
list if they had been. Or I could
have been Methodist or an Episco-
palian. 1t does not shock ME to say
so now, and l hope it does not shock
anybody else. Scctarianism abounds
IN prejudice inherited more than ac-
ouired from rational methods. One
Christian faith is about as good as
another if it suits the Christian. |
would not proselyte any of them if |
could. would mo- disturb the peace
If Meti. o!st family by seeking to
draw away a single member of it to
my Church. / like my Church, not
because | believe it to be the best, but
from long familiarity with it's mode of
worship. l feel more at home there:
The Presbyterian habit has got hold
of me Just like theMethodist habit has
got hold of Father Wiklc. In fact, |
believe a better service could bemade
up by culling out the best things in all
the Churches.
For instance, the Methodist and
Episcopal communion service is more
solemn and impressive than ours, and
so is knceling or bowing in prayer.
The Episcopal Church has too much
rising up and sitting down-the other
Churches have too livtle. | would
like to see the Litany adopted in all
the Churches and hear every child
join in the responses.
But of ali prejudices the strongest
and most unreasonable are of politl-
cal nature. Political intolerance is
not tempered or toned down by Christ
ian charity. Bitter partisans may ap-
pear to be friendly, but at heart are
enemies, When prominent one dies
his political foes thank God for that
much. Those who covet the offices
will use all kinds of hypocrisy to get
them. What makes the matter so
ridiculous is the absolute ignorance Of
the masses of these partisans concern
ing the principles of their party:
When David Bennett Hill Strengthened
up and said, 81 am a Democrat his
utterancc was echoed from million
throats all over this broad land. What
did he mean? | am sure do not
know. 1t has been nearly fifty years
since I cast my first vote and it was
for a Democrat. But there were nc
such issues then. The great question
was whether the Federal government
should make appropriations for inter,
nal improvements or not. Up to that
time no rivers had been cleaned out
and no postofices or public buildings
built in the interior cities. But now
every muddy creek and every two
horse town must have an approprla'
ton. Free trade was once an issue,
but it is not now. Tariff reform and
protection have been occasional issues
for fifty years and more, but some
times the parties compromise on incl
dental or accidental protection. Tho
Republicans claim to be for protection
and Mr.. Mckinley championed a bill.
that did protect his party friends and
left out those who were not tie took
off the duty on manganese and ruined
t st industry we had in this re,
e. \ company that had invested
$500 900 in this County in that bust
ness and was paying out $1,000 aWeek
for labor. Everything in Cartersvllle
prospered and we could pay our little
debts with alacrity, and even pay oul
doctors bills and our preachers their
salary. But Carnegie WASH happy
and got the tariff taken off and then
got all his manganese from South
America and the West India Islands:
The collapse came here, of course, and
the business was abandoned. That
the kind of protection we got.
But what is a Democrat now:
Sometimes consequential gentleman
who bankers after an Office will swell
up and cxclaim: II am a Jetfersoulau
Democrat, and the editors have
nest egg in Jcifersoulan Democracy
/ l,,I - Tr,,rontl, N hat i