The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-09

A correspondent of the Boston Transcript
takes exception to- the use of the term
poor whites" as applied to residents of
the mountain districts in the Southern
States. The term is one of opprobum,
coined in slavery times by Southerners
themselves, perhaps by the negroes, to des-
ignate class of whites too poor to own
slaves. In the slaveholding districts they
constituted a despised class, being excluded
on account of their poverty from the soci-
ETY. of the Shareholders and for the same
reason looked down upon by the slaves
themselves In addition to their poverty
they were very ignorant and altogether
degraded class Many of them entered the
Confederate army and made good soldiers
perhaps all the better because most of them
did not know what they were fighting for
and were perfectly willing to take orders
from officers whom they had always recog-
nized as superior because they were slave
holders.
The correspondent referred to says the
term poor whites" is offensive to resi-
dents in the mountain districts, and in def
erence to this feeling the representatives of
the American Missionary Society who are
teaching and preaching among them have
coined the term Southern Highlanders."
The n1ountaineers Go not object to that in
fact they like it because it appeals to their
legitimate pride and self-respect and to
their historic traditions. 1t is good phrase
descriptive, distinctive and honorable. The
Highlanders of the South were mostly loyal
during the civil war They had no SYM
pathy with slavery, and, as mountaineers
their instincts were loyal. The mountain
counties of the Southern States furnished
100000 loyal soldiers during the war, and
the mountaineers. men and women, boys
and girls were ever ready to serve the
Union cause. The Transcript correspond
ent says:
The American Highlanders, little known
to the country at large, are a stalWart ana
heroic people. Shut away by the dead sea
of slavery, which washed the feet OF their
knobs and mountains, they maintained
love for freedom, loyalty to the government
and devotion to the old flag, which mani
tested themselves in courageous endurance
and suffering in the defense of their patriot
ic conviction. In Sketching the develop
ment of the work among the American
Highanders, history reads almost like
fable. Eagerness for education and CHRIS
IlaD privileges CHdIdClCIlZC hAViH. A1144SotS
are planted and are at once crowded with
pupils. As the conditions have demanded
these institutions have advanced from one
grade to another until there are eighteen
excellent normal institutions. with an en-
rollment of 1875 pupils, under the care ana
direction of the association. Churches nave
been organized. and large numbers have
been gathered to their fellowship.
They are indeed an interesting class, and
are taking their place in current literature
as the possessors of some sterling and adj
mirable qualities. They deserve to be diff
ferentated from the old class of poor
whites" and the term Southern Highland
ers'' does it well. They are in sympathy
with Northern ideas. and, as a result Of
the educational and religious work now be-
ing done among them, they are likely to
become potent factor in the future prog
ress of the South. 1t is safe to predict that
the Highlanders of the South VIII always be
firm friends of the civilization of the North.