The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-06-14
WArTERsOy ON TIE oODF.

\
Mr.. Walterson, Of the Louisville
Cpurier-Journal, had the temerity TO de-
liver "a lecture TO the students Of the
Vanderbilt University at Nashville the
other day, upon tie fruitful theme Of
The Homicidal Side Of Southern Life
He concluded his lecture with this
striking language:
nave. spoken 10 little purpose If ]
have not shown where the evil lies and
what lies At the base OF il. have
spoken 10 little purpose IL ! have not
pointed out the remedy The evil Is z
false, but waning, standard of manly
courage and honor. It's origin is = ira
dition; It's existence a casualty. The
remedy is In the hands Of the church
men, the schoolmen and the neWspa-
pers, and, until these prove deficient
aud unworthy, an entire community
! should not be stigmatized because OF
than century old. AS justly might !
inveigh against the social fabric Of the
great city OF New York, as illustrated
by race of young parvenues, who,
coming without effort 70 sudden wealth,
Imagine It a fine aud manly thing 10
initiate the bad manners of the English,
and TO emulate the bad morals of the
French. They are, like the bullles of
the south, but The creatures of a dayo
Both classes, like the mediaeval bandits
nf the Black Forest and the ribald
course and pass into the limbo of for.
gouen- legend and satire. In
the meantime we may safely trust the
result 70 the better sense and judgment
OF the communities mostly and imme-
diaIelY concerned. In thIs spirit, while !
eonjuE1ng you to take TO your mind and
heart those lessons of wisdom, foFJitude |
and truth, which are nowhere set down |
so clearly as In Burns "Epislle |
10 young friend" do pro.
test against the effort To single the
south ont from all the world and fence |
us round with black puTgatorial lines, |
as a culprit whose redemption shall |
wait upon the caprice of strangers alike |
TO the good and i'll within US. Heaven
help US and mend US, north and south. |
Neither OF us Is any too good, and, In
st0ad of thinking iii of each other, and |
seeking each TO square the conscience |
OF his brother by his own, IL were filter |
that both should fail upon our knees, |
beseeching mercy aud light from the |
Giver Of Gifts.
It will be seen that northern criticism
of southern brutality touches tender
spot upon the people across the line /; |
Int a. Mr.. Watterson's remarks are d.
re"ie'i principally at the practice OF du-
elIns the BUSINESS of most of that criti- |
nis'n must be admitted. 1t Is not worth |
while {" compare those who think it |
prnp'r u resort to the code to "medi1
val bandits Or the Black F'Drest and the |
ribAld beaux of the Re-tbFaliOn, - for the |
code has been consOsnIly endorsed by |
the best culture of tho sa.ltl,. In this |
respect the s0HtiL I,'cs not need de- |
fense so much IS reformation. The |
cities OF the noEth have their snobs and |
bullics, TON. bi1t their snObberY and bull |
lyiaRA are not cOun;enancei by sympa-
thi2ing courts or the best thought of /
their civilization, but are rather the |
subject Of reprOach and ridicule, and
their best blood has not been used to |
write the record of the hOmicidal duel.
Ii is different in the south, but the fact
that man of Mr.. Waterson's calibre
has the courage TO grapple with the
evil in its lair. is one of the most prom
ising indications of the time. He has
spoken words of soberness and truth,
and prescribed remedy (the church
men, schoolnen. newspapers and the
young man OF the south), which will
strike at the very root ofthe eVil.