The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-01
EIL.,HENI, TOPICS.

CURRENT TOPICS.
The Chicago News is calling for re-
vision of the Illinois Constitution. 1t says:
"a famous saying whose
a VOICE wisdom bears the stamp
ROM i''i''oia' of classic antiquity af-
firms that times change and men change
with them Unfortunately this does not
hold true of State constitutions and
hence Illinois, whose growth during the
past quarter of century has been one of
the 1aaryels OF American history is still
wearing the constitutional coat it ordered
from its special tailors thirty years ago.
The garment is our at elbows and IS too
small for the lusty giant among Amerl-
can Cornnlonwealths, who wears il now
with a grace suggestive of the hoboiede-
nov of sixteen who has outsroWn MS
fathers cast-off coat, but as yet mas none
of his own
That might as well have been said OF the
situation in Virginia.
The Norfolk Landmark quotes the fol-
lowing paragraph from Julian Haw-
thorne's dispatch from
One of south's Norfolk to the Philadel-
Ausdhaaso' phia North American on
the occasion of the eclipse:
These Southerners have a vast adyan-
tage over us in being born where they
live, in being born acquainted with one
another and in looking and feeling at
home. The forcing immigrant has not IN
truded among them
Quite true, and in that fact is to be
found the secret of true Southern hosoi-
tally, which the Northern people ENJOY
and marvel at when they ind Il.
At This season, when the graves of the
dead soldiers of the war are being deco
rated and when kind
Inc tonteaefate words are being exchang-
oc'''o 'os' ed between the sections,
the following article from the Chicago
Times-Herald comes most opportunity.
We quote:
"a hall of battles in which tattered ban
ners tell Of nations victories over for
eign foe infames and gratifies the patri-
otto pride of a people. France after many
sore defeats lives over her glories in the
Hotel des Invalides.
But reunited America needs no such
memento Of the civil war. and it is signi-
tcant that the flags which were taken
from the Confederacy lie hidden in an at
tic at Washington. The government has
no desire to hang them where they would
be a perpetual sign of division between
the North and the South, continuous
celebration of the victories Of Americans
over Americans. The people syrnpathize
with its policy of seclusion and have never
sought to have the trophies exhibited
Nine citizens out of every ten in the
North would say on the instant and by
common impulse: Let US avoid any &C
ton like this which might revive sectional
feeling Let US treat the Southerners like
brothers.
Public sentiment now goes to the eN-
IRENE of generosity, as is fitting at a fam
lily reunion, and is the very opposite OF the
emotion which is provoked by foreign
! war. This is the reason why certain
Grand Army veterans vino share the SEN
tment suggest that Congress shall au-
thorlze the return of those elnblerns OF a
lost cause. They know, as we all do, that
| the time viii never come when we snail
! have TO look to the flags for consolat ton
| or exul tajtion. The country long since en-
tered upon an era of eternal peace with
! ~.
| have fought side by side against foreign
| enemy. They are even now engaged to-
| get1er in putting down an instruction In
| a new and distant possession. Over
| whetlning tendencies which are in evidence
| everywhere prove that there is no need TO
| display or to retain the ordinary tokens
| Of triumph among warning nations It
could do no possible good because the
| deeper meaning of the flags is expressed
| thousandfold in the new evolution OF the
country.
The Union soldiers have their grandest
| monument in the United States Of Amer
| lea, TO which all other memorials are as
| nothing, and we may truly say that the
! return Of the flags would rather help than
retard the perfect completion OF that
monument 1t would be good politics, good
| patriotism, good morals. No ceremony
could be more appropriate and inspiring
at the coming encamoment of the Grand
Army Of the Republic in this city