The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Finds Fault With South.
To the Editor of The Age-Herald:

TO the Bdftor or The Age-HeraId:
 During a residence of six years in the city of Birmingham, I could never ac- count for the apathy displayed by the natives" toward the celebration of the Declaration of Independence. believe Uncle Sam closed his postoffices and maybe the national banks took half holiday, but the citizens generally did not seem to know that the Fourth of July was a national holiday, or if they did 1t was a holiday they did not seem to appreciate, for they went about their daily avocations very much like they did every other working day of the year. There was positively no noise that sound ed like a celebration" and no decora- ton, save perhaps by a very few enter prising northern firms, who either had not as yet lost. the habit of celebrating the Fourth or were shrewd enough to take advantage of the occasion to solicit northern trade. In the magnificent arti- cle appearing in last Sundays Age-Her- aid under the caption Pioneer Days" by the gifted writer, Mary Gordon Duffo, l learned the philosophy of southern apathy toward the Declaration of Inde- pendence.
 Even casual perusal of the facts in the case as set forth by Miss Duffe must convince any son of the far south that he came honestly by his apathy toward the Declaration of Independence. His forbears not only refused to take parf in the glorious struggle for liberty, but we are told they smiled in derision at Rngfnn tempts were made by Capt. James will ing or Philadelphia ana Oliver Pollock. the agent of the continental congress- to win them over from their allegiance ito England). They came by way of New Orleans to Mobile and cautiously distribu- ted many copies of the Declaration of In- dependence, with no practical result what ever,' says the historian. It seems that even Spain and France. Nwho had joined Iorces with the Americans in their fight for liberty, could not make patriots of the early settlers of Alabama, for, when "Galvez, brilliant and gallant officer. was sent against the British at Fort Char lotte, the natives joined the English troops and held the garrison until they were forced to capitulate.
 Thus 1t will be seen whence the present generation gets It's apathy, if not antip- athy for the constitution of Uncle Sam What Is bred in the bone is bound to crop out in the fiesh
 That there were several eruptions on the southern body polite. we have learned from history and tradition. That the mal- ady is still prevalent we know from the opposition to interstate commerce laws and the denial of other prerogatives of our glorious constitution by misguided natives who have no better excuse than fanatical prohibitionisrn. The trouble is deep-seated--in fact, hereditary It will be impossible to legislate love of iib- erty and liberty beloved institutions into the heart of the far south. This can be accomplished only in the class room that Is decorated with the American (not the rebeD flag Until then the south can ex- pect to see rebellion parading under the gufse of prohibitlonJ men inflated with false ideas of honor; life held cheaper than the proverbial song: law and order scoffed- at and even the American con- stitution, like the 'Bostonian Liberty Boys" shall meet with the smile of de- rision. King Commerce has done much in material way for rfle far south He will do even more But one day, like William Pauton and John Leslie, even King Commerce may go out of business or carry his trade to another mart, which will be the same thing, so far as the south is concerned.
 Then, unless her children have sub scribed, not only formaliter, but de facto to the constitution (the law of the realm) though indigenous, they shall still remain foreigners in the 'Lanc of the Free and the Home of the Brave" and that portion known and revered as the southland shall again become the land of hog, hominy and homicide. This diagnosis of the souths disease may be distasteful to many of my southern friends. But I hereby disclaim any intention to offend. No, my diagnosis is founded not upon prejudice. but upon historical facts and years of study and experience in tho south. Other, especially southern, doctors may disagree with me. However. there are millions of people north of the Mason and Dixon line and west of the Mississippi river who do agree with me. In justice to the south and her people. why not let them see themselves as others see them? The daily newspaper is public mirror and I know of none that casts truer reflections than The Age-Herald. Who knows but one look may induce the natives of Bir- mingham to distribute few American flags to their children next Christmas. instead of toy pistols And through your kindness public school children may hear of an erstwhile gentleman named George Washington.
 RICHARD RANDOLPH CARTRIGHT. New York. September 8, 1909.