The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-21
No Man Hath Hired U.s."


My valued friend r. NJ. o. asks in
the News. and also answers the ques-
ton, when is a man old?" His is the
correct conclusion, 1T is matter of
digestion" With sound digestion a
man may be young at eighty, without
it he is old at twenty. May he live
long to illustrate the advantage of
temperate livingl 1t becomes a mat
ter of Importance to find some way in
which the unlawful dstilling of spirits
may be prevented. There is not only
loss of revenue to the government, but
there comes to the community dis
tinct loss and retrogression in morals.
Having recently been brought in con-
tact with the offenders against law in
the court room / realize that the in
fiuence of the "moonshiner" upon the
community is evil and demoralizing.
There seems lacking any adequate
public sentiment in some sections
which should prevent lawlessness.
One witness was asked, Gould the
smoke from the still be seen from your
mill?" The reply was, II expect it
could if anybody wanted to look"
This was received with apparent ap-
proval by the audience. The pathetic
feature of these transactions is the
presence of young boys who repeat
glibly the words of the OATH but who
seem obliv!ous of it's solemn import.
These juvenile offenders should be re-
moved from an evil environment and
placed in an industrial, or agricultural
school, and trained to habits of indus
try. and taught the rudiments of an
education. Under present usages they
are guilty of violating the revenue
laws, and are sent to Jail for crime
committed by older persons, who thus
escape penalty. Some of the witnesses
came into court prepared to battle the
most experienced attorneys by their
ability to "dis-remember." This term,
like charity" covers a multitude of
sins" Many of the faces of the
adults indicate little ability to do any
good in the world; one wonders how
they live, and why.
There is pressing need for the intel
ligent, conscientious teacher in these
sparsely settled sections, who will
arouse the dormant faculties and in
duee better living the field is large
and laborers few. The need seems as
great here as in remote Bulgaria, and
the cost and risk much less; beside
this the element of romance will not
be wholly lacking. With this force
in working, supplemented by the action
of the federal power reducing the tax,
SO that the inducement will no longer
tempt the ignorant ones to defy the
law, order will be restored, and the
community will be rid of a stigma; for
no matter how obnoxious the revenue
system may seem, no section can pros
per until it conforms to law.
There is an undercurrent of wisdom
in rho paHnxiaaJ ufo t,rt-
better is enemy to the good" | was
reminded of this as ! read in the
News criticism OF your Board of Ed
ucation or rather of the mode OF
forming 1t. II said; "a board Of ed
ucation self appointed. self-perpetu-
ating is un-democratic." this is true
beyond a doubt.
But system which has for more
than generation in your city pro-
duced the highest results in public
education should not be lightly critl-
cised or disturbed. No city in the South
has had a more intelligent body Of men
on its board, there is put one improve
ment possible and Savannah should
lead in this; place at least two women
upon it. There are three usual meth
DDS of choosing members. One is by
by the Mayor. the next
election by a board of aldermen, third
by the vote of the people; the last is
in general use, each is open TO criti-
cism and contains elements Of weak
ness. 1t would seem unwise to even
suggest radical change in method or
forming the board; you have the best
possible, lacking only the presence of
woman members. There are harsh crit
les at home and abroad who call in
question the methods employed in
popular election; let us correst these
and leave the matter of the present
usage undisturbed so long as it works
for Righteousness. and all good.
EX-Gov. Bullock has written a let
ter to the Constitution regarding FED
eral appointments in the South He
writes: 1T may be safely assumed
that the President does understand the
negro question" If this be true he is
the only man living who possesseA
such knowledge, and we may expect
the best results from him. He adds also
this truth. There Is no possible dan,
ger Of negro supremacy In the United
States" That question--if IL ever was
4 question-was settled for the South
during the reconstruction period.
There Is another danger which inter.
ests all jewellers North as well as
south. this. too. viii find adjustment.
But the point at issue. the Ex-Governor
does not touch. The Constitution
claims that in all Federal appoint
ments regard should be had 10 the
wishes IT the community IN which
said appointment ig made And here
he Constitution ~ right n "A rcstor-
ID Union has any real existence Il ~
true that the people Of the South
should be consulted in the matter Of