Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-02
ylReyNla,s MISTAKE

VlRGINlA'S MISTAKE
The state of Virginia proposes to
stir up row in congress which prom
dses to reveberate from one end Of the
land to another with its oratory. She
will place in statuary hall at the CAPT
toll building in Washington a statute
of Robert E. Lee dressed in his con-
federate uniform as a representative
of the greatness of her sons in ma
tional life. The state of Mississippi
applauds the move and promises to
follow with the statue of Jeff Davis as
her representative. The Vicksburg
Herald argues Just so fixed as yir-
GINA is that Lees shall he one of her
Two statues SO is Mississippi that JEFF
serson Davis shall be one of hers. This
is said in no Wanting spirit. But his
exclusion would be as vioative of sem
timent, and the eternal fitness, as
Lees
It is unfortunate thai Virginia peo-
pile should have injected a controversy
of this kind when the harmony of the
present occasion would seem about
complete. 1t is violation Of good man
ners and manners are supposed to be
a cardinal virtue in Virginia. Il is
particularly unfortunate since Virginia
has failed 70 do herself fun honor in
her choice of representation. Robert
E. Lee was one of the great men Of all
history and scarcely a thinking man
will deny that his ability would honor
any state, however, he does not rep
resent the greatness of Virginia. His
achievements took place at the time
of the downfall of the state and of
the south, whereas there is a period
of our nations history beginning in
colonial times. covering the time of the
declaration of independence and the
writing of the constitution and pass
ing on thru the revolutionary period
down to Lees time when Virginia was
the empire state of the nation in the
matter of craftsmanship. Four out OF
five Of the great names which the av-
erage school boy rolls from his tongue
as he reads his American history are
sons of Virginia. No other state in the
union ever has or ever will perform
so preeminent a part in the building
of this nation as did Virginia for al
most a hundred years Such STATE
tails TO grasp it's opportunity il
neglecting TO recognize in its repre-
sentation in statuary hall the epocl
of its national greatness. the period o
the grandest characters that the worlt
has ever known. 50 nearly all of then
born. reared. educated and elevated I,
Irrational greatness by Virginia.
Virginia proposes to destroy its rea
historical perspective and inject bit
ter controversy which all people ar
trying to live down. Mississippi come
quickly forward with suggestion
which should show Virginia her mis-
take if she can not see ii otherwise
Mississippi sees in the Lee statue no
recognition OF the greatness of tn
man and the honor TO the state whicl
produced him but the form Of a vim
dication for secession and she prompt
ly proposes that her secession be win
dicated, too, in the acceptance of
statue of Jeff Davis No student o
history would select Davis as a grea
national character. He holds no sue
position in history and ii is not likel
that Mississippians are unable to Sc
it. Had he not been president of tn
confederacy his name would llav
been comparatively unknown in his
tory and it is only because he typifie
the secession movement that he
pToposai! as companion for Lee.
Virginia could be excused in pro
posing Lee because of the unquestione
pre- erninence of the individual BIT
when Virginia has a period of powe
and grandeur in this nations histor
to i1nmortalize which no other stat
has or can have, she fails dismal
when she proposes Lee and invites
quarrel. Mississippi has already show
her how even worthy motives will L
aamentably misconstrued and unisur
derstood.