The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-01-24
A Southern Triumph.
From the Memnhis Commercial Anp,


The Commercial Appeal has for several years tka y
position that of the genuine creative Literature
country was the work of Southern writer's II has ben
custom elsewhere to at the South, and New YtA
recent years has claimed that it the literary cent?
the country. There was time when the South douias
the Union. George Washington, Southerner wa n
father of his country. Thomas Jefferson SouthenH d
the author of the declaration of independence Henry "a
the father of the American system which has since n
cystallized into the protective system Free trad. Il
cminenty Southern doctrine. Abraham Lnean vh n
served the union Of the States Southerna. Ak Il
the of secession the South contributed onehaf as II
soldiers TO the Union side she did to the Cafdrr|
The latest of the United States shows that b, 4
tive white population of the South has been increasing
far greater rate than the native white population
North and East.
We hare contended that the best literature Of Ana
must come inevitably from the South and West The 4
hos, the humor and the poetry come naturally non
South. The rude vigor and the fun come from The Il
Pathos to be the heritage OF the South alone
there can be genius without pathos
We realize the fact that the North will be loah ri
nize existing conditions, but there the facts can
ignored Recently, for instance, the footh anniEe1l
the founding of Yale college celtSated and ~
OF honorary degrees bestowed Eight American vs
selected to receive the degree of Doctor Of Dnl
Who were they?
They were Samuel l. Clemens, Thomas Bailey 1anI
William Dean Howells, George w. Cable Richard n W.
Glider, Brander Matthews Thomas Nelson Page ana
er recipients of the honor to be conferred on the h
niversary of the foundation of of the greatest 81
can universities. Who the so honorea! ~ nSl
the eight were born south of Mason and DIXON nut ~.
and Matthews Page and Wilson were born ~ ~ NJ
Mark Twain was born in Missouri, while Adrieh w n I
IN New Hampshire, Glider in New Jersey and hV'S-
Ohio. III
It is true that not one of these eight writers nov ~
the home he born in. The Southernefs s W. \
North. The New Englanders have gone TO New ,ua -
he man has to
however, because New York is literary market ~ n
of these writers made their reputation before th5
or North. The largest publishers in the country AVN
IN New York and Boston, and writers IRON =. N n
country naturally drift that way to md ms'g , 4
Although New York city is the metropolis a
republic it has comparatively few native =. IA
Its great writers are all aliens. The editors 81
magazines are native New Workers. ines ~ m a
prominent name in this Literary center ths' "1s
from other State. "a ~
But the honors conferred by Yale are especA'I u
ing TO the South. Five out of eight is Veiy ssis
for section that has been scorned as oeihs ~ hs
literary impulse, Everything indicates ,ssr,r Ii
East is dead as a literary producer. IL no iSs.a a
temperament The West and the South haVs ThyH
have sounded the gamut of passion and emopO m, "a
experienced the hope and the despair OF human IL. Il
the Souths experience has been deeper 's ~, et,s
greater. The time has never been when 800 , X 4
produced the works of genius, and 1t VIII ,,.r, n
all Of intellect should day receive ~ ,sda
ton, The award of honors at Yale has peen 70 ~
OF the South OF course our writers VIII eop .h and
toward the metropolis, just as English, seosD ii 1
writer's migrate toward London. This howe' an 81
detracts from the prestige of the South we vrtsS
ter of fact more than match the FIVE Southern y, ~
ored by Yale with many other Southern VIM WIN Ism
at all, The list is by no exhau i1tSI n VA
James Lane Allen, Joel Chandler Harris Ms e,,.rst
Harry Stillwell Edwards, Ruth Mctnery pvss "a
Barnwell Elliott Harrison Robertson, Amehe obss
Burns Wilson, Joseph Altsheler and sewers nm W
deserve to rank with those already honorea IN -
desire especially to call attention to IS the is' h.
OF eight authors selected for signal honor ID N,s
casion of Northern university were born p''
Dixons line.