The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-24
THE sOuTHIN HISTORY.

A notable addition to the literature
of the current Congress was made the
other day by Senator Tillman of South
Carolina. The Philippine bill was un-
der discussion. and the senators from
Massachusetts were taking a leading
part in the debate. Senator Lodge was
especially prominent, and as usual
went strongly into history to illustrate
his points, referring repeatedly to the
American war for independence. And
with that assurance that is charac-
teristic of the people of his state. he as
sumed that about everything worth
thinking of or doing in the Revolution
had been conceived and executed by
Massachusetts people. In them, to
Judge from his remarks, had been CEN
tered the brain, the Drawn and the
bravery of the American patriots; the
other colonists had been mere "supers,"
while Massachusetts men held the CEN
ter of the stage all through the mighty
drama
The next day Senator Tillman pro-
ceeded to disabuse the mind of Sena-
tor Lodge, and others of his way of
thinking, of the idea that the South
played small part in the Revolution.
Tillman was at his best. He had burned
the midnight oil and was supplied with
abundant facts to prove that one of
the brightest pages in Revolutionary
history belongs to South Carolina, and
that the whole South was as patriotic
as the North. The speech was one of
the best the South Carolina senator
ever made, and does him high credit.
In connection with this debate and
Senator Tillman's speech, the Philadel-
phia Times Book Review makes some
interesting observations. 1t refers to
the fact that many times there are
instances in which the months maya.
zines are dominated by Southern writ
ers. Frequently it happens that the
best books of the month are mostly by
Southerners I'm the fleeting reputation
Of the hour they have the prizes, but
that is all. When the sober-sided pub
fishers get to work to make up their
lists Of fame and letters and achieve,
ment and ordinary greatness, the
Southerners do not count very much.
Most Of them have not the few dollars
to spare to get their pictures into these
records of Immortality. and some of
them laugh at the whole scheme They
do much of the good work, and then
surrender the credit for it,"
Is that how greatness is determined
and history is made in the North? Is
1t chiefly matter of paying publishers
sum of money to put his picture and
biography into their books that raises
the Northern man above his fellows i'm
politics, war, the arts-in history?
''They (the Southerners) do much of
the good work and then surrender the
credit for it," says the Times. TT was
that way In the war for independence
4 II has been the same way u n large
extent in the fight for American lit
sture. 1t is about time the southerners
made an effort to get what belongs to
them" That is to say. the southerners
must get over that way they have OF
being modest. They must not only do
things. but advertise them. They must
toot their own trumpets long and
! loud, and IN the heyday OF their sue
cess they must make an appropriation
! 10 pay the publishers for putting their
/ pictures IN their several galleries OF
Great Americans. Is Il the business
instinct" Of the North. and the want
of Il among Southern statesmen. col
diers and writers. that has placed the
south 40 disadvantage IN history ana
liierature3