The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-09-19
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
HABITS AND PREJUDlCEs DIS
CUssED AT LENGTH.
The Philosopher Calls Upon History
to Sustain His Deductions.

A..o
Ben Franklin said that man was .
bundle of habits. Somebody else said
he was bundle of prejudices. It is
fair to say that his habits outlive his
prejudices. Mine have, 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
''habeo," to hold-to hold fast. I
can't hoe or chop left-handed. IN
consciously I dress and undress the
same way every time and always put on
my left shoe first. When my good
friend, Major Foute, lost his right arm
in battle he was young and soon learn
ed to write with his left hand. II I
were to lose mine now do not believe
I would ever learn to use my left. I
am too old and the habit has held me
too long,. 1t 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 poor one.
But feel sure that I have got over
some of my prejudices. Daniel Web
ster told his people they had conquer
ed everything but their prejudices.
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-
ton and political faith, as general
rule, are inherited Like father like
son, like mother like daughter. If the
old man shakes piece of silver coin
at the new moon or makes a cross
mark in the road when he turns to GO
back, the son will do it, too. If the
mother will not begin q garment on
Friday the daughter will not. And SO
it is with our religion. I am Pres
byterian because my parents were. I
could have just as easily been q Bap-
fist if they had been. Or I could
have been a Methodist or an Episco-
palian. 1t does not shock me to say
30 now, and hope it does not shock
anybody else. Sectarianism abounds
in prejudice inherited more than ac-
quired from rational methods. One
Christian faith is about as good as an
other if it suits the Christian. I would
not proselyte any of them if could.
I would not disturb the peace of q
Methodist family by seeking to draw
away q single member of it to my
church. I like my church not because
/ -believe it to be the best, but from
long familiarity with its mode of wor-
ship. feel more at home there. The
Presbyterian habit has got hold of me
just like the Methodist habit has got
hold of Father Wikle. In fact, I be-
lieve better service could be made up
by calling 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 kneeling and bowling in prayer.
The Episcopal church has too much
rising up and sitting down-the other
churches have too little. I would like
to see the Litany adopted in all the
churches and hear every child join in
the responses.
But of all prejudices the strongest
and most unreasonable are of politi-
cal nature. Political intolerance is
not tempered or toned down by Chris
tian charity. Bitter partizans may
appear 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
ths masses of these partisans concern
ing the principles Of their party.
When David Bennett Hill Strengthened
up and said, 81 am democrat I" his
utterance was echoed from million
throats all over this broad land.
What did he meant / am sure do
not know. It has been nearly fifty
years since I cast my first vote, and il
was for democrat. But there were
no such issues then. The great ques-
ton was whether tie federal govern
ment should make appropriations for
internal improvements or not. up to
that time no rivers had been cleaned
out and no postoffices or public build
ings built in the interior cities. But
now every muddy creek and every two
horse town must have an appropris-
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. The
republicans claim to be for protection
and Mr.. Mckinley championed bill
through that did protect his party
friends and left ont those who were
not. He took of the duty on manga
nese and ruined the best industry We
had in this region. A company that
had invested $30O,O in this county
in that business and WAS paying ont
81. 900 week for labor. Everything
in Gainesville prospered and We could
pay our little debts with alacrity, and
even pay our doctors bills and our
preachers their salary. But Carnegie
wasn't happy and got the tariff taken
of and then got all his manganese from
South Amerina and the West India IL