Evening star., 1909-04-11

ton imm ediately went In force to the
scene of activity to make their own in
vestigations and form their own judg-
ment. And SO. in every way, co-opera-
tion public spirit and civic duty have
characterized the citizenship of Chi
cago. What more splendid testimonial
could be given OF their value than the
phenomenal development in less than
three-quarters of a century from trad
ing post into magnificent city of over
two millions of inhabitants which is now
reaching out in it's commercial acttvi-
ties to the uttermOst parts OF the earth!
The south is developing and needs more
to develop this spirit Of cooper ration. Al
though You who compose this society
have left the south you can and Will bear
an important part in advancing its well
fare. Just as Americans brought from
England AnglO-Saxon Jurisprudence ana
so advanced it as in turn to enrich the
jurisprudence Of the mother country. you
who owe to the south your birth, the pro-
lection of your younger Gays ana tne
high traditions with which she endowed
duty to repay. as far as you can, the
heritage which you have derived from
her. knowing as you do the conditions
prevailing there, the long struggle which
her people have made. their splendid con-
tests for the maintenance of their civiliza-
ton under circumstances at all times
trying and sometimes seemingly hopeless.
informed as you are also as TO northern
views and impressions-some OF them.
though Earnestly entertained, entirely
erroneous, some of them entirely sound
and just, though not altogether acceptable
to our people-yOu are in position to
explain, to compose. to adjust, to accom-
modate differences Of opinion and to bring
about a better understanding. Our peO-
pie are all. in the main. patriotic. They
want to be fair and reasonable and just.
If they seem to the contrary at times 1t is
on account of a misunderstanding Of the
facts and not from a desire or willingness
to do a wrong.
Making Sectionalism Count.
Sometimes it has seemed to me that the
proper attitude for a man trained in the
north, who lives in the south and under
stands both sections, is to be a southern
man when he is in the north and north
ern man when he is In the south: and
in the same way, that a southern man,
reared in the south and living IN the
north, should be southern man when he
is in the north and northern man when
he is in the south. And that Is only to
say that his disposition should always be
to represent most fairly that part of
the country which at the time may need
a frank. just and courageous exponent Of
its better sentiments. Things are fire.
quently just as they should be, IL only
they are properly understood.
This is illustrated by an experience Of
a friend of mine, a distinguished Chi
cagoan, who was south shortly after the
Spanish war. He met an old Confederate
soldier and said to him: 'There is one
thing about this war that brings me
brought the two sections OF the country
together" The old Confederate, with
great emphasis. startled him by saying:
mo, sir; you are entirely mistaken. The
Spanish war has not brought the two
sections together" My friend was very
much surprised. and thought he had
stirred up an unreconstructed fire eater"
and answered: II beg your pardon, but
though that it had" The old soldier
said: mo. sir: the two sections Of the
country have long since been united in
common patriotism. and the Spanish
war simply demonstrated that fact"