The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-15
SPEECH OF HARDWICK
ADDRESSES SOUTH CAROLINA
 PRESS ASSOCIATION.
Passenxer Tramc Manager of Southern on "St0ry of SOuthj It's Im- petus and Progress of
 Her Deevl&pment.~

Passenger Trafic Manager of the Southern Railway:
 Mir. President, Ladies and Members
 state Press Association of South
 Receive. beg you. my compliments and my thanks.
 T think the South requires the aid riod of her history. As you ask my purpose, I will state that I have, no thought of abandoning her unless
 These are the words of the noblest and grandest chieftain of the South and of the world.
 It was at the close of chill au- ling among the hills of dear old Vir- ginia The family in a modest home had waited beyond the usual hour for peared a majestic figure approaching. He walked very god among men. He had his military cape thrown around his calm face showed that the duties of that day as President of the college had been unusually ,,is, ardpous .,,, ,.,o-.s around the board. in their respective took his place at the head of the table bowed heads. The great chieftain also stood with bowed head and uplifted hand to ask the accustomed blessing asony hs smPe off R Sc syea"s soana was no speech forthcoming. The family looked up in direst alarm. The great chiftain looked around upon each of them, and rested a long, last, finger ing. loving look upon the face of the wife. His hand was lowered; he sank back into his chair; his loved ones quivering hearts. And the soul of Robert E. Lee had surrendered to God The Almighty Father had need of him m.,has ,n His wt,s Hesvenly eioS Kingdom And Lee
 T think the South requires the aid of her sons now more than at any pe- riod in her history. As you ask my thought of abandoning her unless com- pelled to do so"
 Splendid as Is the record of Lee as had been his military achievements. beginning at West Point. including the Mexican war. the Indian war, and illu- with the ds glosy Gem bracing all the details of his service including his visit to South Carolina to see personally that her coast de- through all his glorious career. through victory. or temporary defeat, there IS no period of his great, good of his quiet fife and example after he had ordered his armies to finally. disband and return to their
 
 great heart, overflowing with love for the South and for the whole country. he with knigtliest courage gave him self no rest or leisure. but at once gave immediate response to the need of the South and her sons.
 Think of the solemnity and glory of that great recessional of the armies of the. South. These men. having thus having received his farewell address and benediction. then was begun the recessional, the music note of which despair. But hark, Listen to that inspiritlng, brave tone which was before-the thrilling note of ""Dixie." And these men still sang with grim courage, T will live and die in Dixie This tune has since found its way | ular in the world today. | We have but one flag now. thank God, which, on account of all 1t repre- sents. floats more grandly and beauti- fully in the air than the flag of any oth- CT nation. and 1t seems to know of itself of of oDh Dxie, s"pe0ik I think n no % real A Amerie % can patriot can ever hear the music note of Dixie" without being thrilled | with greater patriotism. It was un- der the flag that we reverence son.s that Se ssa t o hs esn that nd es it sa the he I | armies of the South.
 Lee could have left his mother coun. try and been honored and worshipped l by the world abroad as one of her greatest princes. He could have had snecures of all kinds for merely the use of his great name elsewhere. But | he knew the need of the South, that | her owns sons must ,.are for her. bind up her wounds. build up her waste and war worn places and so he ac, began to work for the South. with the meager income of a college president, to build anew that college; and to be of the South by his counsel and per sonal association and give solace and encouragement to the whole desolate South: aye. also the stricken North. and indeed to our whole great coun- try, and to all the world beside. and to all men who' were and are yet to l follow his axeample and give heed to his words. .
 Hear again the voice. of the great chieftain as SonSa he says T have Wert6 f6ufbat cause l believed they were seeking to wrest from the South her dearest rights. but have never cherished toward them bitter or Vindictive feel- ing. and have never seen the day l did not pray for them"
 Was ever so grand and pure a pa Leaving us also this heritage of non sectionalism. Surely the, South has tried hard also to nos Sivs, ,a heed , to soth thaf
 IxS had of her sons in that day of dark ness and Encouragement, and many a son would have been robbed of his lresoluteness had not Lee utter these words: of her sons now more than at any lperiOd" So the immortal Lee said and did. and so the sons of the South said land did because of Lee. His words land his example were the impetus which gave irresistible force to the nroRress of the South's development which we witness today.
 Glance backward for moment and see what the extermity Of that need was Think of the South in the days when the great Lee spoke these words; with practically no railroad systemi all destroyed, and wreckage all that was
 Come quickly along the intervening | years and let us give thanks and re- | ioice eyer anew that we had so great and so wise a leader as Lee. Think of the magnificent work oI tne sons oI the south who began immediately then to bring order out of chaos. Conslder | what splendid rewards the South has | given 10 her sons so far, and look into | the horizon of the future of the south and see that 1t has absolutely no limi- tation set by the Almighty barring i.S | further progress and development: and I. for one. do not believe He intends any such barrier to be thus set by prejudi- cial and harmful national legislation, pr otherWise. So that the South. while blessing all those wh" are now Withfn dialitv' welcome ali others who will thus come with us 10 assist in her de- l velopment. .,, ,
 ing today as rose and abounding Tn rich development Of mines ,ji ana % manu-