Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-06

old South, which was superior In tnl
respect TO the present South, which -
the so-called new South. chiefly bccauDo
OF the unfortunate tendency towards cues q
toms and manners which the Iooo4 s.
northern idea holds MS an improvemss
on the old 1t would be better fos w.
South II Il held more strictly 70 w.
manners and ideals. for the most paft
of the old South: and IT. would be pets
ter for the North II II learned more q
such manners. and held closer to the
social and moral code OF the New Ems d
land Puritans The new llbereiHuS
has improved neither manners nor
morals. but 1t has taught the cheap ano
the ignorant the parvenue L. socleVs
and the complacent newspaper an@
magazine scribbler to sneer at the man
ners, the ideals, the period, ana tne
people which have produced the nsss
literature the abest men, aud the nisn>
est types OF statesmen and statesmen.
ship which the history OF this country
has vet been able to record. The New
York Journal OF Commerce. an able jour.
| nal az its kind shows the dominating
mercdnary spirit and commercial sentis
ment OF It's section by an unjust ano
unintelligent criticism OF the manners %
~ south. to which II adds the state
| ment that "the new South IL so fer
| modernized. and to so great an extenS
| brought into harmonious social ana
| commercial relations with the ress OF
l the world that the few remaining survt~
| vors OF the slave epoch are not untn.
| teresting subjects OF sociological study"
1 What insufferable rot. Noting II, the
1 Baltimore Sun very truly says: ITO
l this It Is sufficient TO say that IL the
4 representatives Of the new South have
| the manners OF their graadfathers. tncy
| will be equally as courteous, considerates
| and well-bred as those more modern ex-
| ponents OF good form whom Ward NC
Alister had to take in hand and teach
| the elementary principles OF deport'
| ment"
1t Is not too much 10 say that New
York has learned It's best manners. ana
II ought to learn more, from southern
men and women. The Sun adds these
| indisputable facts: THE cultivated
I southern man of the period dating from
| the Revolution to the civil war had all
| the qualities which are inseparable from
| good breeding. contempt for vulgar dis
play, perfect courtesy in his intercourse
| with his fellow-men, very admirane
respect for women. and an utter lack OF
the coarseness OF language and angus
larity OF manner which in some quarters
have come 10 be regarded as COM
| mendable national characteristics. the
evidence of a brisk get there American.
ism. II the Old South's' manners were
of the plantation. II should not be forgot
ten that they were also the manners OF
| Washington. Jefferson. Madison. and
| Monroe. of Chief-Justice MarshaN. and
other eminent southern men. but for
whom American history would be a dull
and spritless volume. II tho New
| South, with its modern manners. produced
| men as great and patriotic as were born
under the plantation system, the future
of this mighty republic will never be In
peril. The trouble with too many writer's
who condemn the manners OF the 'CAd
South Is their Ignorance OF the subject.
They read some sensational work OF flc.
ton like Uncle Toms Cabin and cons
clude that they have mastered the SUBJ
ject. Or. perhaps. they turn TO some
| incident in Congress in ante-bellum days.
when the passions Of men were aroused
by political excitement, and because there
was fistlcuff between two men from
opposing sections they at once accept
the offender as a type OF the South
and proceed TO belabor tho people OF
a dozen States for the violence OF one
man. The politicians OF the old
South were not always the best rep
resentatives OF the southern people. AL
| though, In the main, they were men OF
high character, perfect honesty. and UNI
improbable courage. There were no
, | Credit Mobilep scandals NNhsthem; no
suspicion that they dealt In stocks
which were affected by their legislation.
The sons and daughters of the planters
enjoyed the advantages OF liberal edu-
cation and travel, and would have been
at home In the most polished society
| Of Europe without the coaching OF
lordly Turveydrop. Moreover, tho fact
| that New York's -Four Hundred had TO
| engage the services OF man OF SOUTH
ern descent to teach them the amenities
Of social life would seem TO indicate that
the southern manner was worthy OF
recognition and emulation"
J An exhibition OF New York manners
: was given at the recent Bradley-Martin
, ball. noted chiefly for its vulgar display
: OF wealth. when the bedecked and be.
dizened guests, dressed as characters
, many OF them never heard OF before.
, almost precipitated q riot In their SWIM
. ish scramble for the edbles and drink
provided In such liberal quantities as 10
a | satisfy the reasonable appetite OF every
r | ono present The manners OF that as
, | semblage OF tho wealth and fashioa OF
T New York would have made Bowery
' pcnic party blush, and would have dis
gusted Chimmie McFadden. When IL
comes 10 the discussion Of manners. New
D York ought TO remain discreotiy sfont.
= | There will have TO be stu moro
4 ! marked degeneracy Of southern manners
before they are on a level with those
{ OF the North