Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-04-28
Touring Ohio ard Pennsylvania.
BY J. o. Knott.

handicap, / nave ABOUT completed my
first lecture engagement Of the year,
beginning near Cleveland, Ohio, and
winding UP near Harrisburg, Penn
Svivania.
1t has been a habit with northern
lecturers to write up their opinions Jim
pressionsl CT the South, after such q
tour as have made of the section
referred to above. hope that may
be quite as fair in my criticisms of tho
sections of country have Just passed
through as the best of the criticisms |
have seen from northern men, when.
they estimated southern conditions.
In lecturing in northern and central
Ohio, passed through Presiden.
Harding's immediate country and
spent the night in Marion. Marion is
an exceedingly plain town of prob
ably $4,000 population, with very poor
hotels and with nothing to suggest
special enterprise, unless it be a shovel
manufacturing plant. The house, with
the front porch" from which home
the Hardings moved into the White
House, suggests a sharp contrast in
living quarters. The Marion home, al
the east of the town, is a modest frame
structure, with porch to the front and
side, and is as much of a surprise in
its appearance as Mr.. Harding's nomi-
nation and election we're to the peo-
pie of Marion. NV hotel host asked
me if | lever saw the old man." bu,
spoke with no enthusiasm of him. In
fact in all my references to Mr. Hard
ing in the State of Ohio not one Single
instance of applause greeted nv words
although | was sincerely kind and
complimentary in what | said. Evil
IDENTIFY the people were not expecting
what they got.
Northern and central Ohio are level
in trim condition as to farms, and tho
land held at high prices. The people
OF this section, as saw them in the
smaller towns, are largely a mixture
or foreign clements plain, frugal,
unresponsive folk, who listen to a
lecture respectfully, but without much
display of emotion, and afterwards
shake hands with the lecturer in pump
handle fashion. The southerner rush.
es up grabs. your hand in both his, and
tells you his opinion. Ohio is
phlegmatic.
In western Pennsylvania, centerine
about PittSburg and then extending
as far as Altoona, saw the coal min
ing district from the lecturers stand
point. "When the black smoke vo,
see coming from that stack rolls out.
we know II is our living: we dread to
see it stop" said my intelligent hostess
at a certain mining town. But that
same smoke, rolling out of hundreds
OF stacks, vitiates the atmosphere. gets
IN the throat begrimes the hands and
face, and makes one unaccustomed ia
1t wonder if he will ever get the coal
gas taste out of his mouth or ever have
clean hands and hair again.
Pennsylvania has given me, so far
better audiences both in size and in
responsiveness than Ohio. The pre.
ponderance of the foreign element all
through this mining section of the State
is brought home to a southern man. to
whom it is wholly new experience
lheSe foreigners crowd the day
coaches of the trains, cram into ono
seat their six or more young children.
and jabber in a foreign tongue inces-
sanity. ! might have shut nv ewes
and imagined | was in Italy. Then on
the outskirts of all the larger towns
and cities, and in some instances in the
very heart of the town, are the
oIackest, demonstrating frame build
ings to be found anywhere in the coun-
Try. Inc negro sections that fringe the
city of Memphis, Tenn. are not more
Tepulsive looking than these novels in
Mrich probably most Of the foreigners
ilVe-a menace to the health and tone Of
the community. Verify, the North has
It's problem that it may well solve while
1t lets the South solve the negro ouee-
'Ioh' unemoarrassed by northern expert
ments.
IN this connection | may say that in
many towns saw colonies OF souther,
negroes, lately brought from the South
now living as settled inhabitants. Il,
IS both amusing and pathetic to see
the attitude Of the northern peonIe IN
these colored folks. Eve have them"
SAID my host at one town." but we do no,
Know what to do with 4ha... ,ur