The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-11-30

UIUn OF erecting y monument TO Nne
memory OF this Villain. THIS year,
in submitting her report 10 that
| body. among ether things size said:
"There was never any object under
taken by our society that has met with
such Widespread interest, such loyal
support, such violent antagonlsm.
Tue latter has taken the widest
form, INDUCED III the most insane
abuse, not sparlng in any way the
women OF the Georgia division. or
OF the south in general, and we have
answered never Il woI5, but have
simply gone forward, proved our
case. and mean to establish the truth
forever when we unveil our monn-
ment. A campaign of education il
has verify been. for | do not believe
any OF us know how ignorant we
were of the history Of that period
until we went into this matter. rs
we have been obliged to do to give
answer for the faith that was in
us.
l cay, it is wrong, uncalled for,
unpatriotic. sentimental, %agetevat-
ing. disgusting, insulting to the
living, sacreligious TO the dead,
and puts a high grade premium on
sin. American school boys and girls
should never be permitted to look
upon a beautiful monument erected
to the memory of such a despicable
scoundtel, and then %innocentIy
assert: "That monument is for
Henry Wirz. the nan who shot and
starved the union soldiers during
the secession"
The th%oughtless influence of such
a crime will be far reaching. Why
not erect a monument to Guiteau,
the assassination of James A. Garfield,
and to Czolgosz, the Assassination OF
President Mckinley. The answer to
this may readily be seen when com-
pairing their crimes with his. They
killed only one mar apiece while
Wirg is a hero because he slaughtered
many. True, this would lie in keep
ing with modern practices. White
was convicted in u court Of
stealing a Worthless bicycle and
sentenced to ten years at hard labor
in the Sioux Falls ~penitentiary, while
Stensland, president of the Milwau-
kee Avenue bank in Chicago, for
stealing nearly a million dollars,
%wrecking dozens of homes and send
ing three men to their graves, is
given all ''indeterminate sentence"
at joliet, with not only the posi-
bility but the probability that he
will soon be pardoned out. True,
the size Of a mans crime reverses
the size of his punishment. A petty
thief is punished while a wholesale
one is lauded for his pluck.
We are a nation OF hero worshippers.
A long, almost unbroken, chain Of
military presidents, beginning with
Washington and eliminating 10
Roosevelt, attest the truthfulness
Of this assertion. 1 am not finding
fault. It's all right. "First in War,
First in Peace" Let the onward
march Of civilization perpetuate the
sequence.
But when it comes to making
heroes of such men as Wirz by en-
nobling his wicked life aud per-
petuating his dastardly memory by
erecting to him a magnificent monu-
ment, then with all the might and
manhood there is in me, 1 protest.
Let Mitchell's magnificent post of
gray haired defenders OF their
country protest. Let that body OF
splendid women, the w e. C., pro-
test. Let the Grand Army of the
entire Republic protest. Let every
decent citizen both north and south
protest. Let it never be done. God
forbid. The south stands forgiven.
Henry Wirz stands convicted
O. w. Coursey.
Mitchell, S. D., Nov. %, 1906.