Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-10-31
A SPUR FOR CIVIC IMPROVEMENT.
SPLENDID PAPER READ BY Or. HINES
BEFORE SENECA ASSOCIATION.

October 26th, by DR.. e. A. Hines;
feel that you have conferred great
honor upon me and one which fear /
shall fall short OF deserving. Lord Ches.
terfield said that he had large experi.
once In the English Parliament and that
really audiences had poor memories for
speeohes-very little in 1t in fact. The
elegancy of style, the turn of tho periods,
make the chief impressions upon the
hearers. Give them but one or two
sound harmonious periods in speech
which they will retain and repeat, and
they will 60 homo as we'll satisfied SO
people from an opera, humming all the
way one or two favorite tunes which
have struck their ears, but few have
Judgment: tickle thoaa cara and depend
upon 1t, you will catch their judgments,
such as they are. Regardless of this die
tum by this peerless Epglishman, / feel
sure that your judgments are in good
balance, as evidenced by your presence
here this evening.
You are thus showing your interest in
one of the most important movements
which could command your time and at
tention. The civic league idea now
dominates almost the entire American
continent, and indeed other lands. A
letter to the national secretary .. few
days ago reads thus:
"Won!d you be SO kind as to send me
literature of your association? We are
trying to copy you here. am sorry 1
cannot send you American stamps for
postage, but perhaps you will not expect
them from this 'distressfnl country We
have lovely land, but we do all we can
to spoil it."-Donahmore, Tyrone, Ire
land.
I fear that the closing sentence might
be brought home to many in onr own
land and not be untrue.
Mrs. Francis Copley Seavey, in valu-
able article on this subject, says:
Environment is coming more and
more to be considered a pronounced fac
tor of education-the education that
makes for character"
If towns, villages and individual homes
have an unkempt, shiftless, down-at-the-
heel air the passer-by is justified in set
ting down the inhabitants as shiftless;
and the generation that grows up amid
such surroundings is more than likely to
bear their characteristic imprint. Then,
too, there is material side to the quos-
ton. The value Of real estate increases
in direct proportion to its possibilities of
home-making, and every local busi-
ness and calling, as we'll as all churches
and schools, as the ratio of desirable
population increases. The underlying
principles of civic improvement have no
doubt been lodged in the human breast
ever since man was forced to turn his
back upon the one perfect home on earth
the Garden of Eden. These principles,
so far as America is concerned, have
been organized into the present mighty
army within decade; indeed, were crys-
talized by the great Chicago Exposition,
which many of you no doubt attended.
Since the marvellous exhibition of
landscape gardening and beautiful archi-
lecture at that time, many societies have
sprung up all over the country, with the
one aim of leaving the world better
place in which to live than when they
found it.
AtSt. Louis on June 10th, 1904, these
various bodice were united under the
name of the American League for Civic
Improvement. It represents co-opera-
ton on national scale for the promo
tion of more beautiful America, not
only in the country as whole, but in
every city, village and hamlet. 1t serves
as clearing house for improvement
work. 1t brings local workers into help
full contact with one another, and places
the experience of all at the command of
each.
In every part of America communities
are aspiring to more active civic life.
They are seeking to improve local condi-
tions. The American Civic Association,
to AL such efforts, extends helping and
guiding hand, place them in communica-
tion with those who are at work else
where on tho same problems. Through
its literature the association supplies in
formation and instruction. The various
departments of the association issue bull
letins, leaflets and pamphlets dealing
with the particular subjects assigned to
them. In charge of experts, they serve
In an advisory capacity to the members,
and as sources of information to every
applicant.
While we enjoy the hospitality of this
enviable home this evening, 1 see by the
Associated Press dispatches that these
experts are In session at Milwaukee,
Wis, in the capacity of the second an-
nual meeting of the American Civic AS
sociation.
The matters which are considered by
that body range all the way from secur-
ing the passage by Congress of laws pre-
venting the desecration, by commerce, of
Niagara Falls. the Appalachian Noun
Iains and the tin cans which adorn your
back yards in Seneca.
I congratulate the members of the
Seneca Civic Improvement Association
upon the success you have already at
tanned. You have not met the obstacles
enjoyed by some of your sister societies.
One good lady in Texas called meet
ing twenty-six times before she secured
single attendant. The women of a Da-
kota town asked for better water sup
ply. The mon said they were helpless.
The women, through their association,