The Washington herald., 1909-02-06
An Iniust.ce to Dr.. Alderman.


The Virginia press has been wrestling
with an exciting controversy over a prize
essay written by a Minnesota girl con-
tanning an estimate Of Robert E. Lee
that mas been assumed 10 be disparaging.
II appears that a prize was offered by
the Daughters OF the Confederacy 70
students Of the Teachers College al Co
lumbia University for the best essay on
Lee, the purpose being 70 stimulate study
Of Lees character among Northern
school-teachers- President John H. Fin
ley. OF the Teachers College: President
Edwin A. Alderman. OF the University OF
Virginia, and Prof. c. AIphonso Smith. Of
the University Of North Carolina, passed
upon the papers submitted in the compe-
ttion. and awarded the prize TO an esti-
mate Of Lee which proved to have been
written b. a Miss Boyson. Of Minnesota.
In this paper there occurred a number
OF sentences which. detached from their
context and read without knowledge OF
the whole spirit OF the essay, were
thought By many 70 be harshIy critical
and wholly unhistorica- The question
was at once raised Why and how two
such excellent sOutherners as President
Alderman and Prof. Smith could have
given a favorable Judgment 10 an esti-
mate Of Lees character apparently 50
prejudiced and so inconsiderate OF South
ern feeling President Alderman and
Prof Smith have now been heard from.
and their justification is simply that the
essay, while not an ELUSIVE euIogy OF.
Lee, was obviously a sincere study Of
his life and character from the best
sources. and was animated throughout
by an ungrudging appreciation Of the
Southern leaders, NOBILITY Of soul. his
faithfulness to conviction. and his splen-
did military qualities It was shown that
a sentence which aroused most OF the
controversy. beginning with the words
He was a traitor had been garbled.
and that the tenor OF the essayist's rea-
soning was exactly the reverse Of what
it had been represented TO be.
We should not have considered this dis
cussion worthy Of notice had It not been
accompanied BY a demand. echoed in a
number OF Virginia newspapers. that
President Alderman, because OF his con
nection with the award. should resign
his Office as head Of the University or
Virginia. II seems certain that due con
sideration Of the facts. as shown in DR..
Alderman's statement. VIII lead TO a
revision Of the rather hastily formed
opinion OF some OF our Virginia. con
temporaries that so trivial matter
should be considered as having any bear
Ing on The presidency Of the university.
The attack on Dr. Alderman really in
wolves ard threatens that liberty oil
thought and OF speech which ought toi
be secure at any university. We oil
the South says the Richmond News
Leader, should habituate ourselves 20 !
breadth OF thought and TO gooi-natared
Of criticism and opinions diff /
fering from our own" President Alder
man himself pleads Tor Gust a touch or
the splendid tolerance Of Lee himself. "
and goes on to say that the only way
in the world by which We can arrive At /
the whole truth about things IS to lett
people speak out what they believe 10 be
the truth. provided it be done within the
limits OF honest motive and sincere pur-
pose. and with q manner touched. by
courtesy and dignity" These expressions
n defense Of freedom Of thought apply
as wen to the situation in which Dr.
Alderman and Prof Smith have been
placed as TO the essay to which they
awarded prize for superior merit. That
! difference Of opinion. founded on per
gerted Information, concerning the liter
aFy judgment OF Dr. Alderman should be
aeld sufficient warrant for demanding
ais retirement from a university presl-