The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-07-24
Portman Letter.

VI ulidi LtIteI
our Anderson Intelligencer without
'ts Portman letter." saws friend ";.
hhe coat having lost button. and lack.
ing TWO weeks letters is like coat lao,r.
ing TWO ENTHUSIASTICALLY Tillman llke.n
since this is not our politics we waive
the soft impeachment and try keen,rr
of the buttons.
we may De late, but it will be the de.
feat OF the man who ran to catch the tain
Said he: "It is not that did not run faat
enough, but that did not start in tin,n
travels over rough ,oads are no; con-
uuoi'o ~ tho luxurious psstime of writ.
ing. The correspondents return from
meandering over 50 miles of Anderson
County highways equip rather for the
]anguid, lounging artilice of rcpose. As
the Italians would say: Dolce far niente
sweet idlsness! But we recollect the
buttons.
mere is an oascs IN most deserts, and
speaking Of roads inclnes us upon the re-
ireshlng padded pathway between Port
man ana old Pendleton. We like to
think ofsuch luxury awaiting us some
day from all points of our compass at
fortnah to tho circumference of Auder-
son County The road to old Perdleton
recalls to us our EDITORS recent remark
on roads; that the people of the South
know how to build good roads without
the North coming so far from home to
teach them-if only the South would 40
Keep the roads when constructed. Tn
places the Pendleton road is beautiful.
three to four vehicles may drive abreast
The road Is smooth, assuming conscious
Importance that 1t might be suburban
highway. Our thoughts lead to prosper.
ity, good people, responsibility aud-yes,
the approach to mewhere-Pendleton
On the way no surprise is felt on fnd-
ing q good road; the old aristocrstio
houses are there Of the old families of An
derson County. What rnad commission
would consider waste of time and monev
on roads bordered by the unfortunate ar
ohitecture now bordering most OF roads
IN Anderson and adjoining Counties?
Who would expect people who could live
IN such huts to have nerves superior to
the delicacy of the horses body? Ifthev
can live In such huts, and II their ami
mails can travel and not die over ancb
roads, what's the need of expensive i'm
provement? Such would seem to be the
reasoning Inference OF the County Com
missioners.
Like usually seeks like; not until our
people grow appreoiative of the comfort
and refinement Of a pleasant looking
dwelling, painted or whitswashed. with
its appearance Of gardening; foliage. g
patch OF lawn grass, a bordered walk. an
artistic bed Of flowers, sown to enter the
soul In Its essence OF beauty-~nct until
then shall there be good roads. The
roads are built for the class of residences
bordering the roads No hard feelines
should arise toward the custom OF Souta
carolina, but there 10 deep seated con-
vic;ioH that until farmers put pride In
the refinement Of their dwellings, as thew
DO In the weight OF their hogs prospori-
ty Will not come to the State under any
regime Of politics.
The Tillman coterie of wool hat and
one gallus proceed from this condition of
life, and the hold which his order Of ora
tory. his profane, and repulsive ideas
nave upon the mass, show what debase-
ment may result from cousanguinity of
low ideals and imperfect mentality. Ex-
teriors mark the progress of interiors.
HIace those people who are now satisfied
with such conditions in nice, clean-look
ing, painted dwellings. artistic In design.
pretttly conceited with flower, and walk
and shrub and color, and they will begin
to feel themselves important; they shall
begin to have pride of person and char
aoter, nor will they vote for degraded
measures that should perpetuate them
selves and their children in poverty and
wretchedness.
Hsre Ia vocation Tor the State: The
money expended on whiskey politics.
and whiskey education, place 1t in en-
forced refinement for the poor. Com.
mand 1t obligatory on the person build
ing house he shall build according to
State contract of taste and comfort-if the
means cannot afford this the
State should supply means, then compel
the person to keep In repair the house
and 1ts surroundings. This money in
such a reform would do more for the
poor and their children than shall ever
be achieved by the State or city dispen-
sary. Situated In refinement, morals.
manners and politics should climb to q
highor Lowell. Good roads would bs de.
mand, and would he furnished these
people oy discriminating County Com
mission.
Bordering the road to old Pendleton.
dotting with their sacred conservatism
are the classic shrines of white coumned
reliquerv-the residences of the Old
Sloans, Pickens, Tay-
lors, Sittons, Striblings, Shanklins, and
many more who left their impress in
ideas that shall not be erased nv oven the
shoddy architecture of an effervescent
present. These redeem the New South
rom its oblivion of mournful deca-
1ence. Whater our sex we lift our
u q n a nnt1 1txyn1 II