The Washington times., 1903-06-23
KENTUCKY FEUDIST
A BORN FIGHTER
Simplicity Marks Home Life
of MOuntaineerS.
TAUGHT TO AVENGE WRONGS
Need of Money But Slightly Felt-Edu-
cation Is Not TO Be
Found.

Perhaps no characteristic of the Ken
lucky mountaineer is better known than
his fighting propensities and no other
trait has so lowered him in the eyes OF
! the outside world. says the Lexington
! (Ky.) Herald" Yet. in forming our con-
illusions regarding these people. it would
| be we'll for us to remember the chival-
rous ancestry ef these people. largely
the cavaliers of Virginia and North Car
| DINA.
! They have been taught for generations
to avenge their own wrongs rather than
| appeal to thsyiaw. On account of poor
ways of travel the administration OF jus
] tice is attended with more delays and
uncertainties than elsewhere. These
! facts, combined with the spirit OF free
dom and independence born of their soil
tude. and also the belligerent spirit kin
died by the civil war. force one to see
| that these people are not guilty of the
grossest homicide. but are largely ac-
tuated by the spirit of medieval chivalry.
Drink Evil Recognized.
Nor is the making of moonshine
whisky to be reckoned as a fragrant vio-
lation of moral law. The sin which does
| trouble the mountain conscience is not
the evasion of tax. but the making Of
whisky at all. The evils OF drinking are
fully recognized. Several counties
might be named where ''moonshine" still
exists. but which have gone dry" and
vigorously exclude the saloon.
The need of money is but slightly felt
by these simple hearted people. since
they raise nearly all they consume. The
spinning wheel is still in general use
and the hand loom forms an adjunct to
many homes. Thus men and women are
largely clad in "homespun." What
money there Is among these people is re-
ceived from logging" teaching school,
and from pensions. The latter is a source
Of no small moment to them
The whole mountain section was loyal
to the Union. Jackson county claims TO
have sent more men into the Union army
than any other county IN the nation.
The first Union flag planted on Lookout
Mountain was planted by Capt. John
Wilson and the men OF the Eighth Ken
lucky With their manner of life. how
ever, little money is needed. The fami-
lies are supplied from their own 'boun-
dairy with abundance of cornmeal.
string beans. dried fruit. long sweeten-
Ing (syrup), and hog meat; also fax
and wool and possibly little cotton
They barter feathers and sang at the
"storehouse" on court day for supplies
of coffee. boots. and patent medicines.
Education Unknown
1t need hardly be said that education
is not to be found In this section. AS an
evidence of the extraordinary lack OF
culture look for a moment at the noun
tain preachers. Many of them have never
been to schooi-and can neither read nor
write. The preachers are often unable
to read the Bible, but are dependent
upon some more fortunate one present
to read the text.
This text is often selected at random
by the reader and the preacher breaches
at random from the text. Frequent
tricks are thus played by the young
men who consent to read the text. and
while pretending TO do so repeat some
thing absurd and ridiculous from which
the unsuspecting preacher speaks. Since
> illiteracy is so prevalent there are
=, many, many homes in which there are
no books, not even a Bible. There are
sometimes TO be found twenty counties
in this vast Appalachian section which
cannot boast OF a single printing press.
In truth. the average preacher OF the
mountains is inclined TO be suspicious
OF book farming" which he has failed
to acquire.
: A Vigorous Race.
No one can behold OF contemplate
these people In their habits and sur
% roundings without conceding them to be
possessed of the real qualities that
combine 10 produce a strong vigorous
intellectual class OF citiZens-large-
hearted. hospitable toward their friends
: and though quick to resent an injury
, they are prompt to forgive, brave and
heroic. unconquerable in spirit. loving
law and loyal to authority, but to such
= standards as their long habits have de-
veIoped In many respects they have been
blot upon our fair State. but they are
possessed of those qualities which, II
L turned into the proper channels, will
yet cause them to shine among the
brighter stars In our crown.
How TO reach these people. how to
help them. is the problem. Already thc
philanthropists of North and South have
begun appropriations for the escne
end elevation OF these people.
The social settlement, which is opera
. ted with so much success in our large
> cities. has been found to be the most
helpful institution yet organized for