The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-01

when the New South will be worthier, more influential and more progressive than in the glory of other days. The brilliant Watson. in his history and in his lecture, Is telling in proud way of the great things our fathers did. how they acted we'll the larger part in build- ing our great Union of Anglo Saxon pro- gress. and we little apes cheer and hur- rah over what our fathers accomplished and never think of doing anything our selves, and thus being worthy of the blood and spirit of a noble ancestry.
 We are like potato vines. spread out in assuming leaves, with the best part of us under ground. We have had enough of whiting goods boxes at country stores. and bragging over our ancestors, unless we expect to take the Chinaman by the arm. walk in his steps. and build a Chinese wall of prejudice around us. What will our children have to boast about? Where is the man we need, of Watson's brilhancy, with Lincoln's hu- manity and vision of a larger time, with Roosevelt's action and high minded pur poses, with the nobility and purity of our own great Lee and with the sympathy and love note of our silver-voiced Grady to awaken us. from the bluegrass beauty Of Kentucky to the orange-gold of Flori- da. to arouse our dormant energies into healthy usefulness, to breathe into our hearts the spirit of these larger times, the worldwide spirit of progress, the Columbus spirit of sail on. and ever on- ward! on Gods untried seas. Who will revive the beauty and the bloom of the Old South which we have thrown aside in our mad rush for industrial recogni- ton. and will wed to it the common sense, the action and the moral force of our Puritan brother? We can but impa- uently wait and work and pray for the coming of our David of Right and Truth of his coming from our shepherd hills, where Gods vital oxygen has giver him iorce ana where purer air has given him aspiration and nobility of character, and he shall lead us out of the dead past of our inherited prepudice into the vital life of these new times.
 1T l had but five more minutes to live. and had trumpet that would ring clear voiced from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, l would say to my South whom l love far better than those who fiatter her more: Let us turn our minds from the dead past into the living present. Disoand your Daughters of Confederacy' ana sons Of Veterans. and organize. in their stead, clubs in each town to study the needs and duties and resources and opportunities around us, thus putting our energies and thought hrto the. present and future Let the rest of our monuments to the lost cause be living men and women of granite solidity of character. and granite wilderness of purpose: Let these prove the honor, integrity and sin cerity Of the fathers who were forced to light the stars and stripes, and let us
 
 entering into the spirit of the new times. feeling the enthusiasm of the national spirit. now when America Is becoming the leading world force for progress"
 When we become an integral part of the national spirit, and an equal builder In its present achieventents, no man from New England will de!!de us and no man from Ohio will misunderstood us; but as long as we live In the past we will be looked down upon, the lost cause' will De looked down upon, and we will stay behind the times and have nothing but our past to be proud of. Till then we wili have no Southern President, and act but minor . 1rt in national affairs. At present we i've no man great enough to honor the Presidency, we have not lived deep enough in the national spirit to pro- duce one who is worthy to sit in the seat Of Washington and Jefferson. Where is the man who stands out above party, above section, and Creathes freely our national life, whose character and whose wisdom are respected at home and honor ed abroad? Let us go to work to inspire our young men with higher ideals, and among the many we may raise up lead CTS worthy to live in the aftertime of Lee.