The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-05
His Charge Against Preachers
Self Contradictory.
If lMBECllE THEY MUST BE PONEaLESS
The Monstrous Accusation That They
Herd Good Women by the Stag
nant Waters of Theology
Swallows Itself
(For the News and observer.)

tFor the News and Observer
Senator McLaurin believes, that ex
pansion, the gold standard, protective
tariff and shipping subsidies are the
policies that will make for Southern de-
velopment. The merit or the demerit of
this programme is CT less Importance
than the fact that it is a radical depar-
ture, by a man of character and influence,
from the solid programme of these forty
solid years; for war, poverty, ,illiteracy,
epidemics and tornadoes have all done
less hurt to the South (be is said with re-
spect to all men of breadth and tolerance)
than the politicians and the preachers. For
these have been the conservators of out
worn opinions and creeds, and they have
suppressed Intellectual independence. 1t
is they who are to blame for the loss to
the nation of the old time Southern force
and character since the war. They have
suppressed thought and prevented growth
these unsecured colonies who wear long
hair and white ties and frock coats, and
these doctors of divinity who herd good
women by the most stagnant waters OF
theology. Waiter Fl. Page, in The
Worlds work.
When | saw these words in newspa-
per, l felt sure that the accomplished
editor of The Worlds Work had been i'm
perfectly quoted and in this way had been
misunderstood and misrepresented. Sin
cerely hoping that the original article
from which the extract was taken would
sustain my impression, ! sought it and
read it in full. And my hope withered.
The quotation is fair and includes an en-
tire paragraph.
The only hone now left us is that the
editor may be brought to see that, whilst
he has received no injustice from others,
by one of those unhappy blunders common
to men who do much writing, he has done
injustice to himself. The criticism of the
extract which / now offer has nothing to
do with the writer as he really is but.
with regretful hesitation, deals solely
with his own unhappy Misrepresentation
of himself. 1t may be doubted whether in
all recent literature it is possible to find
more conspicuous instance OF ones writ
ing himself down.
The extract under consideration is taken
from an editorial of the Worlds Work for
June. 1901, and the editor is widely known
as Walter H. Page, of North Carolina,
now in New York city.
The editorial discusses the question:
us the Solid South to Yield at Last?"
The affirmative indications are set forth
in more than three columns, with espe
cial emphasis upon ''The Secession of Sen
ator McLaurin" and 1.-The Presidents FIX
pansion of Thought The extract given
above is one of three paragraphs under
THE Secession OF Senator McLaurin.'
The reader needs to bear in mind that
the words found in the extract give all
the writer has to say Of preachers, of
theology and of good women All
that precedes these few lines has refer
ence to matters purely secular and large
ly political. The author in the next para
graph, passes from these 'hardshelP
types of men and resumes his treatment
of things secular.
| shall now, with studied judicial calm
ness, give my impressions of this re-
markable quotation just as it lies in this
peculiar and unnatural connection.
/. The editor misrepresents himself as
lacking sympathy with the South. He
sees her "snce the war" as forceless and
characterless in the nation. He regards
her as lying in the stupor of suppressed
intellectual independence" under the
conservators of outworn opinions and
creeds;" and this bloodess form is ghast-
ly with wounds which the editor uncoyers,
pointing to their lips SO mute and, with no
word of pity, saying to all the world,
come and see war, poverty, illiteracy,
epidemics and tornadoes;" but when you
shall have looked upon all these, if your
eye be keen and cold enough, you shall
OH ctl
that surpasses them all.
Not even an alien should represent him.
self in this attitude of almost complacent
cruelty.
2. The charge that there has been
1.-The loss to the nation of the old-tlme
Southern force and character since the
war" is as unfounded as it appears
malignant 1t can be safely affirmed that
in all American history there has never
been a period when Southern force OF
character was greater or more useful to
the nation than the period embraced with
in the past forty years. Out of the great
ness of her heart, throbbing strength in
every beating. the South felt the first
throbs of the nations coming birth May
20, 17i5; bore full part in the agony of the
Revolution; conspicuously helped to es-
tablish the nations government and to
shape its developing Jurisprudence. For
four long years the South's force and
character held her in stern resist
ance to the nations attempt to injure
itself by oisregardng some of the vital
constitutional principles of its government
and by subjugating the citizens of its
States, The social ruin in which the ma
ton mistaken, policy would have involved
millions OF her people, white and black, |
was averted by the Souths force and
character Force shows itself in patience, |
in wise and perseyering opposition to OPP