The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-05

fest duty? True, the thing to be
done will require sacrifices. Cons
stitutionaI amendment is absolutely
necessary. The term of some Presl-
dent and Congress, viii have to be
heightened by the distance of time
between March and April 80, or
whatever date is agreed upon as
substitute. But If the date is placed
ahead some years, a vested right VIII
be taken away. The people, in and
through the agency of tWo-thirds OF
Congress and three-fourths of the
State Legislatures can accomplish the
thing. / believe they wish to do it,
for the people are not tied down to
nice distinctions and foolish pre-
cedents. They have tho knowledge
that the present system is bad and
does it make if q Congress not yet
elected is shortened and a presiden-
tial term not yet begun is heightened?
Once done, it is done for the good
of the public and for all time. Let
it be done as soon as possible.
Pneumonia, consumption, grippe ana
diptheria are not pleasant contem-
plations There are sufficient sacri-
fees of life caused by early Inaugural
tions in the one hundred and sixteen
wears of the existence of the present
unnatural and preposterous, system.
April 80 is the right date for inaugu-
rations. and il it be not desirable
then to begin the term of the Con-
gressmen elected at the previous
years elections then let the congress
sional term begin on January j, sue
ceediug the election in November.
But one obstacle raised in the fact
that the term OF the Senators should
begin at a convenient time and the
legislators mostly convene early in
January Therefore my first sug-
gestion of April 80 is one that ought
to meet all contingencies and answer
every purpose.
When senator Bacon suggested and
Senator McComas accepted the sub
stitution of the expression Civil
War" for rebellion i'm a bill OF Con
gress as Il more courteous" word, the
right thing was done and 1t was
gracious and proper concession Tor
the Maryland Senator to make. Ike
publican as he is. The South is not
only naturally opposed to the term
rebel" the expression is both an
constitutional and unhistorical, as
applied to those who took part I'm the
struggle between the North and the
South. Strictly speaking, Mr.. Steph-
ems name of the great war is mac
curate. war between states has 10
be carefully differentiated so as to
show it is a war between two classes
or alliances of states in a former union
or an existing union or confederacy
This is announcement and confusing
What is wanted is a simple word, well
known to all students of history. and
there is no simpler expression than
the old one, civil war" 1t may be
as we'll applied TO a war between
parts OF a confederacy separating or
parts of consolidated government,
whether free or unfree in its fun
damental character. There were civil
wars in old Rome and i'm new France.
The Senator from Georgia. who is an
able man. may simply have had 1T
in mind to adopt III the substitution
proposed a compromise proposition
which would be acceptable to a Re-
publican or he may have really pre-
ferred the term civil war to the term
often employed in his section, the
war between the states" which was
the original suggestion ] think, of
great Georgian. writer, orator and
stateman BY the way. is Mr.. Steph-
ems view of the war between the
states'-n magnificent book to have
been prepared IN a short time writ
ten as il was after the mature eX-
perience of life spent in the service
of his state, Of the South ami of the
Union)--not out Of print? 1t ought
TO be reprinted in different form 50
as to make one large volume of
moderate-SiZed print.