The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1904-05-26
IN AMERICA.

The tnding OF the body Of young
Wcntz near the spot where he was
murdered months ago ends q myste-
~ that was one os the most penHtrs-
bic In recent times. IL - strange
that after all the minute search the
discovery should have been postpon-
ed 80 long. aud Il adds smother ele-
meat 20 the claim Of the section to
be called Darkest America" Such
a statement may be made glibly and
lcsve little impression on those who
have no knowledge Of the setdal con
ditions prevailing in that quarter.
which ha. beea populated for = centu-
~ and n third. Those who have
visited that country are certain that
language cannot be too strong in De
seribing the ignorance and barbarism
OF the people.
A few years ago there was much
stir throughout the Christian world
ovrr the kidnapping Of Miss Stone
and = companion. who were mission
aries in Turkey. The pair was car
riei iuto the BulgArisn Businesses
and held for a reward. Miss Stone
wrot q thrilling account II the II
fair. end probably nost readers sup
posed that NO such conditions existed
any where IN tins country. In truth.
the BuiEaiisus seem o. have been a
milder sort than tho Appalachian
mouutsiuecrs. The latter would
never think Of kidnapping a person.
According 20 their code that would
be positively immoral. but 10 shoot
in the back a man who has violated
one Of your rights il O only strictly
moral. but necessarily incument. II
seems certain that the murder was
caused by the activity Of WENT ia
pushing a moonshine distiller 60 the
wall. Life without whisky in that
section il uncomfortable. A. there i.
little or no money To buy the eHpen.
siVe aud tax-psyed variety. and A.
there 81, plenty Of apples TO max,
the ehcsp sud Illicit sort. there u, q
consensus Of opinion in the commun.
lily hat nc man has a right 10 in,eJ
ferc with this particular home Undue
try.
These people live in = seventeenth
century fashion. using the speech an,
customs OF the Scotch and English o
the period when they fnt came {,
this country. They have many al
mirsble qualities. but !, il NANTES
that there must be much missionarl
work done among them before the.
eau be considered good citizens. IN.
merderers % Went1 must be ruI
down. but until the mental status q
the people u changed there can b
little hope that such outrHges vii
cease. These people need education
cuitare aud new ideals. IL y a
anomaly that within = few hours q
the Atlantic ceast there IL more bar
bsrism. more ignorance. more Grim
thaa IN the darkest spot. IN tn
West. which has furnished us >
many wretchcd pages Of histor,
There il more need Of missionaries j
the AppalAehisns than there is
Bulgaria, and there are not nearly .
many Of them
The above clipping from a prom
nsu, Pennsylvanis paper il In ev.
deace Of a species Of mental rsbbse
that l. inhie,ipg quite a portioA ,
the norihsrn press. Bot this psrti,
ular %srtirie must have beea write
while the author was setting on
sun spot IL IS 80 warm, and I'll.
section appears 20 dart to him. A.
other reason for thinking that he va
cie.e to the sua. i that an author
sach an article would want 60 temp,
himself 20 the hest that is coming
him alter dekth.
lie compares IA section 10 Bulgi
ria. and the death Of Mr.. wentx I
the kidnapping Of a Christian mi
sionsry snd bet eompsaion. Nov,
he knows a. little about Bulgsris
he does sboat iais section. Nj,
stoas wonld .til be held for rsa.ou
81 she had been compelled TO wal, {,
this writer 70 Gad her. IA all prob'
bii;sy he would have hooked for b.
10 the moon.
IL nothing else would stamp ala
writer Is snsequsia.ed with TIN. So
sion. the statement that We mss
~hi1s cut Of aRptes would eenvi'
him. o. else be ~ss fall Of the "a,
paid variety he speaks Of saa VI
isbering ssaer a spell q the jim
jsass." as = rss~is Of continued 81
pIisssios.
49,