The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-06-12
MAuIFu TRIBUTE.


among the many paid to the memory
Of the late Gen. Stephen d. Lee
comes not from the South, where hs
was honered and loved for the many
deeds OF heroism and sacrifice that
be had done for her, but from the
far North. which had also learned Ia
honor and revere him as one Of the
greatest soldiers and best men
America ever produced, says the
ClaTion-LAdger. Ii is taken from
the editorial page Of the New York
American, and is not only a tribute
to one Of the South's most lsmented
heroes, bui is an honor 10 the fair
ness and patriotism of the mar who
penned il.
The American say,
Not only the South, but the
country at large, lost a man when
Stephen Dill Lee. the last Of the
lieutenant generals Of the former
Confederscy died at Wcksburg.
His age was seyenty-fve years.
Born in South Carolina. educated
a. West Point, a defender Of the
flag in Mexico, a hero Of the plains
OF Texas, the man 10 fire the first
gun OF the great war, and then from
q lieutenant to a lieutenant general
he lived ~militantly the first thirty
three years Of his life.
When the surrender came at Ap-
pomattoI be did not turn to the
graves Of the past for his inspira-
ton, but rather to the living, who
were still hopeful and God fearing.
He knew that a Divine Providence
had laid upon every ragged gray
cap the sword of an imperishable
knlghthood. He knew, too, that
neither tears nor regrets could till
the faliow lands of his Southland.
fill It's depleted smokehouses, feed
the hungry children, repair shat
tered fortunes, lend a chorus to the
songs Of the fields.
General Lee vas the first of
Southerners to advocate schools and
colleges devoted to industrial edu.
cation. He realized that his section
Of the country needed lessons in the
science Of planting, cultivating and
harvesting preferably 10 courses in
the translation Of dead languages
and a knowledge of the tactics of
Hardee.
While a State Senator, soon af-
ter the reconstruction days of Mis-
sissippi, which State he had adopted
after the terrible conflict, he advo-
Gated a bill creating an agricultural
and mechanical college. After a
time he saw its fruition. When the
college was opened he became its
president, remaining as such for
many years.
"All over the South to-day are
young men, gone from his training,
who have nobly assisted in conserv-
ing the forces of nature, in making
their country richer, more independ-
ent, more beautiful. Other States
of the South, following General
Lees idea, now pay more attention
to gardens, the dairy and corn and
cotton fields than to the grosser
things like fighting for office and
to be orators.
1T seemed fitting that while serv-
ing the United Confederate Veter-
ans Society as its commander in
chief he should have taken a COM
mission from the man his soldiers
had fought upon many b~attlefelds
William Mckinley. President
Mckinley made him a Military Park
Commissioner, and General Lee
held that position when he died.
Never in his life was he heard to
speak i'll of friend or enemy. When
clash of arms challenged him to
front he remained there until
al was lost, never showing the
white feather, In peace the North
owed him as well as did the South.
md when breath was departing
this gallant soldier and citizen
golden key lay in his hand to
'pen the way to a palace of eternity"
lkAinf NIrT RI rrArasrne L