The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-12-08
"The Short and Simple Tragedies of
The Poor"
Monroe Journal.)

Some weeks ago q wonderfully
bright newspaper man of the state
wrote an article about John Smith.
1t was not real John Smith but a
symbol of the thousands Of John
Smiths to be found in the state. Since
then writer's and speakers have been
talking about John Smith. John
Smith is the poor tenant, the man
who has been a tenant all of his life
and perhaps will always be. But most
of them write about him in far off,
academic way that shows no under
standing of his plight, his Difficult
ties, his sorrows, nor his hopes. They
are taking birds eye view of John
Smith, a once over from a swiftly
moving aeroplane. Their intentions
are often good but so far as John
Smith is concerned they might as
well be talking about the mythical
inhabitants of Mars.
Word comes that the John Smiths
of Georgia and the other sections
where the weevil scourage has passed
are having hard time of it. We
have heard that black John Smiths
are sewing tow sacks into limitations
/ Of garments and thus preparing for
the chill of winter, if such might be
called preparation. And the white
John Smiths, perhaps some better off,
are fighting desperately to frighten
the wolf from the door, if indeed this
typical symbol of want may not be
too dignifed for Characterization
of the want that is stalking in so
many and so mean ways. Their want
is so mean, its satisfaction so little,
that it might well be called not a
wolf at the door but despised coyote.
We are not speaking of all per-
sons who rent land now, far from
it, but of that class so simple and so
poor. that they are incompetent to
provide mach for themselves even in
good times. For such is to be fear
ed that there is far too little of SYM
pathy, too little of understanding,
too little of patience and far too lit
tie of helpfulness. This class is go
ing to suffer more than ever if the
boil weevil takes the country.
I The reason of this is very plain.
! Such persons can make some cotton
+; in fashion, for that is the simplest
form of farm labor. It requires less
managerial ability, less foresight,
less of everything, than more diver
, sifed farming. The class of people
lack ability to manage even what
skill and means they have. Under
more difficulties they are going to
lack more. They need direction and
help in the management and if given
this, with some sympathy, patience
and understanding, they can get along
much better.
The baroness, the want, the lack
of everything necessary in a day Of
this kind, is pathetic. Their lives
are tragedies. The short and simple
annals of the poor does not apply to
them. They are below the line of
classification as merely poor people.
Who can wonder that they often do
things that are shabby? Who can
wonder that they flee from difficult
ty? Who can wonder if now and
then one cuts his throat or gets
drunk, or does this thing or that
thing which more responsible peo-
pie would not do? The world is
hard for such people. Perhaps not
Intentionally hard, but hard through
carelessness, through neglect, through
lack of sympathy, and tolerant un-
derstanding. And how often are the
omissions of the father punished by
suffering of wife and children. The
Bible tells as that this class heard
Jesus gladly. Is Christian civiliza-
ton carrying His message to such
people in the form that makes it
serviceable to them and which COM
mends itself to him?
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