Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-13

Perhaps some have gone too far In be-
rating sectionalism. There is a narrow
and bigoted and bitter sectionalism whicn
is not to be endured for moment; put
there Is also a wholesome sectionansm.
which is worthy of all appreciation ana
encouragement
our country is a wide land in which are
great varieties of resources and popula-
tons. Its greatness would not be promot-
ed by effacing these varieties of life. and
reducing all things, material and imma-
terial, to a monotonous and dreary uni
formity. 1t is rather to be enriched by
each section cultivating its own excel
lencies to the highest degree and dwelling
in harmony with all other sections.
Great Britain is a far smaller country
than ours, and in its history there are
chapters of bitter warfare much more
acrimonious than our war between the
states. Yet no sensible Briton would
have Scotland cease to be Scottish, or
England cease to be English, or Wales
cease to be Welsh, or Ireland cease to be
Irish. The glory and greatness OF the
United Kingdom are advanced by the
peculiar triumphs of all its parts.
In like manner our republic Is to ad-
vance in greatness and power by New
England being of its own type, the south
being Southern, and the west oelng
western. Inere Is nOIIlLs OA AdAAO"hcoS
and indebtedness in this view. On the
contrary an opposite view would De
superficial and injurious. There Is
pseudo-cosmopolf which demands
of us all that we pull ourselves UP out
Of our native soil. and become a sort OF
human orchids, all alike and all living on
nothing more substantial than air. Meth
err individual worth nor national great
ness can spring from such a process.
@<l4 and
in its spirit, but in it's best forms 1T mas
always appeared marked with local colour
and filled with sectional aspirations. ROD
ert Burns and Walter Scott are Scotch 10
the bone, and the atmosphere OF the nigh
lands breathes through all their writings.
We need no one to tell US that Shakes
peare and Milton, Dickens and Thack-
cray are English; their speech oetrayetn
them. Even those inspired poems' IN
which the universal sorrows ana solaces
of all mankind find their noblest express
sion. the Hebrew Psalms, are not with
out touches of local associations and ma
tional sympathies. In one of them an
unknown singer pours forth strains IKE
this: 'Tf forget thee, o Jerusalem, let
my right hand forget her cunning. Ii L
do not remember thee. let my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth; II pre-
fer not Jerusalem above my CHER JOY
Both piety and patriotism were voiced
by the words Of another which were sung
by the multitudes on their way to the
great feasts: ct was glad when they
said unto me. Let us go into the house
Of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within
thy gates, o Jerusalem"
In like manner Attica, with its ancient
capital of Athens, stands forth In the
richest and best things of Grecian htera-
ture. We still bear testimony to IT'S Pc
culiar and excellent favour by our phrase,
Attic SALT. When Greece was absorbed
in a huge, unwieldy system OF Imperial
ism, that delicious SAVIOUR was lost, the
glory of Athens grew dim, and Attica
was trodden under foot Of men,
Neither men nor nations nor Sec
tions of nations make their due and
best contribution to the welfare of the
race when they cease to be themselves
and attempt to be like others in order
that they may not be esteemed pecul-
lar, narrow, or provincial. Born and
bred in the South, I like It's ways
and spirit, but nothing is more disa-
greeable to me than to see a New Eng
lander try to play Southerner. This
be it said, however, to the credit OF
the New Highlander, he seldom at
tempts The average New Highlander
Of the better sort is characterized ny
robust and delightful egotism as 10
himself and profound satisfaction
with his Puritan land and traditions.
He is all the more likable and useful on
that account. We need not resist MIN
in these things until he becomes too
missionary in his methods, and under
takes to make all of us eat cod-nsh
and apotheosize John Brown; but even
then he is interesting-never more SO
With some qualifications 1T may be
affirmed that the vigor Of New Eng
land literature arises in great degree
from the provincialism Of New Eng
land life and thought; and the same is
true of old England. It is amusing to
a Southerner in visiting Old England
10 observe how little the average Brit
Usher knows of America, and in visit
ing New England to note the Ignorance
of the average 'Down-Easter" con-
corning the South. But they know
themselves, and they dwell fondly on
all their traditions. American papers
are little read In England and Southern