The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-17
SAND MOUNTAIN MAN
 MAKES A PROTEST
SAYS INJUSTICE WAS DONE HIS PEOPLE BY MIR. HENDERSoNS ARTICLE IN THE SUNDAY AGE HERALD.
he Editor of The Age-Herald.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Truthfully did the poet speak when he said, sand mountain is the pride of the Cumberland range" and he might have added the blossom of north Alabama. Every man is as the Lord made him" and if one will travel over our beautiful southland he will decide the Lord did his best when he made the Sand noun taineer.
 Our foreparents were the best blood to be found in the Carollnas, Georgia, Virginia and many other states. Our forefathers were of those old soldiers who for four long years marched with Lee and his generals, fighting bravely and sharing manfully all the hardships of war. They came to this mountain because they were far-seeing people, and predicted for this country the grand fu ture which we are now enjoying.
 Our people are rather clannish and will fight stubbornly for their home or friends You know 1t Is characteristic of the true southern man to love and fight for his home.
 Mir Henderson in his article in last Sundays Age-Herald says the majority of Sand mountain people are ignorant. and can neither read nor write. If this were a fact why would the govern ment give us daily mails; why would our country be covered with a network of
 phone lines, owned and operated by mountain men; why would We daily and weekly receive hundreds of Age-Her- aids? Go to Fort Payne the county seat of Dekalh, and ask our probate judge. circuit clerk. county solicitor, county treasurer. tax collector and some of the county commissioners if they are not Sand mountaineers.
 While you are at this beautiful little city step into the DeKalb county bank and whether the mountain in both men and money, is represented there or not. Then you may do the same thing at the Farmers and Merchants bank at Collnsvllle, the queen of Wills Val ley.
 Then. Mir. Henderson, if you should want to see one of the most beautiful and most prosperous sections of Ala bama' come out to Albertvile or Boaz. These towns have several thriving banks and three of the best schools in north Alabama. In neighboring states this sec ton for miles above and below these towns will be known as the cotton belt of Alabama
 MT. Henderson visit the leading coI- leges of Birmingham and see if mart of the faculty and some of the most bril- hant pupils are not from old Sandy Go to the State university and to Auburn, and see how well the mountain Is repre- sented there.
 Yes our people believe in marrying, Tor they want to keep up the population In lawful manner, They also believe in large families. They think if Benjamin tranltlin's parents had not believed in rearing large families destiny of our country might have been different. since there might not have been any Benny during revolutionary days
 Yes. our people want whisky in time or shake-pites. measles, etc.. but what they get generally comes from Chatta- nooga or Attalla Some of us also chaw terbaccer' and smoke "segars :" But after all. we have good church buildings good school buildings good dwelling houses, plenty to eat and wear ana attend to our own business Sin cerely, WILL, ET.PoD' Floy, April 13, 1905.