Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1899-12-21
ARP MAKES A TOUR.
And Observes Many Things in the
Towns of His State.
Prosperous Communities Named for
Men Now Forgotten-Duil Towns
and Progressive Ones - Wom-
ans suNrage-Negro Vote.

INV 4 tllltultTul 10 Idllit' MS NDIu Is
of Greek origin and literally means
"fcr a day" ard was applied TO the lives
Of certain insects. Its meaping has
broadened and now it is applied to life
or fame or wealth or happiness or any
thing that is of brief or uncertain dura-
ton. was rumirating about his be-
cause | have been down to GAINESVILLE
and Thomaston. two prosperous towns,
one in Pike and the other in Upson coun-
ty. | inquired of several good citizens
who Mr.. Epson was and they could not
tell. Finally an Old gentleman said that
he was Il member of the legislature from
Oglethorpe county end was a very great
and good man and died early, and the
legislature of which he vas member
made new county and named il for him.
But now there is not one man in hum
drcd la that county that knows any
thing about him. did not find anybody
who knew what Mr.. Thomas the town
was named for. Jusi so | DID not find
anyone "a Rarnesville who knew what
Mr.. Pike taGt county was narled for.
So | had % wait Till got home and ex-
anired Ey books. AID ] learned that
Hebulcn Pike was great soldier in the
warof lSl2-that before that he explored
the fax west, and vas the first man 10
discover ard ascend that very high
mountain which has ever since been
called pixies Peak
The town Of Icbu,on tool, his Chris
tian name or rather his Jewish name, for
Iebulon was the sixth son Of Jacob and
his descendants became sailors. Nobody
could tell who Barrcsyille was named
for. Nobody cares very much who any
town or county was named for. The
present seems 10 be all that concerns us,
and the historic part will soon pass into
oblivion for the old men are nearly all
lead. Not long ago read how an Eng
fshman was walking about the beau
tiful cemetery of ettysburg and met
confederate veteran there and said to
him: These grand monuments and
grayCstOres will forever pcrpctuate the
memories of the brave men who fell.
but | fear your confederate dead will
soon pass into oblivion unless YOU give
them cemeteries and monuments like
these" No" said the veteran. ours
will last as long as these, for every
stranger who comes here will naturally
ask the same question that you did:
Who killed all these people who are
buried hcre?"
As | travel over the south can tell
Il prosperous town from n stagnant one
by the wheels that are turning, the
smoke stacks and the hum of machin-
cry. or the absence of all these--Barnes-
Vile is forging ahead and so is Thomas
ton, for both have cotton mills already
and are building more. Thomaston can
boast of having the oldest cotton factory
in Georgia. for it was built in 1888, and
has been added TO in later years, and
now is erecting another with home
capital of 100000. Everywhere are Wis
i5le the signs of progress and business
activity. The new hotel recently built
by Mrs. Sandwich is a gem of beauty
and reminds the traveller of Florida and
the tropics. All around are TO be seen
new residences OF modern architecture.
The auditorium. nearly completed, is
marvel of Grccian beauty. An electric
plant ligLts the new hotel and many
homes and will soon light the streets Of
the little city. Mrs. Sandwich estab-
lishcd this plant and owns it. just pom
der il 4 moment. A woman is the fore
most factor in the advancing progress Of
a newborn city. Now if they will let
her tear Gown the antc-bellum court
house and erect new one she will do
it. But she can't yote-whcn is this fos
relic of past age to be re-
formed. The Girtiest negro III this town
has 4 vote in selecting its ruler, while a
widow who pays the highest tax is eX-
cluded. All hut one Of the teachers in
our public schools are women, but they
have no voice in anything except the
privilege of taaching our children. The
IIardwick bill is dead, and the maxim is
to speak no i'll of the dead. but better
bill would have been to place the ballot
box just where the jury box is now. In
ever county there is a commission of
are fit TO serve on the jury, and their
names only are placed in the jury box.
Men of bad moral character or exceed
ing ignorance are excluded. We have
known instances where men of consid-
cradle wealth were excluded because of
their notorious vices. The right to sit
upon jury and try cases involving life
and liberty or property is of far more
importance than the privilege of voting.
Then why not purge the ballot boz as
we'll as the jury box. Many good negroes
would be put IN and some bad white
men left out. am not afraid of being
lett out. Reader, are you? The ballot
has got to be purged in some way.
There are only 20 counties that local OPP
ton has not succeeded in driving out
whisky and saloons, ard in nearly all
Of these 90 the white vote would expel
them, but negroes and vagabonds
and saloon owners override the will of
large majority of the people. In Spald-
Ing county il was admitted that negroes
carried the day and killed the much
wanted reform. If the mothers and
wives and sisters could have voted, the
for prohibition would have
been Overwhelming. Who doubts II. II
a.. nt