The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-14

 ture. and refinement and their achieve ments in the councils of State as well as on the field of battle. and particu. larly their devotion and self-sacrifioS to the principles upon which this gov ernment was founded. together with the patriotic motives which actuated the course of the people of the South in the war between the States and the honor and integrity due to their great leaders. who were scholars and states men as well as great military com manders.
 Tn zealousiy guarding the precious heritage of glorious names and achieve ments. let us, however. endeavor to be conservative and just to those who have served us or taken part in this matter. It fs a wellknown truth that misconception and misunderstan nding Is prevalent in some sections of this country of ours as to the true attitude of the people of the South prior to the war between the States. during the conflict and in the still more trying days of so-called "reconstruction:" and to induce an unbiased study of this subject in cosmopolitan college which was fitting young men and women to go out as teachers of the truth this prize was offered by the Daughters of the Confederacy--a missionary work for which time must be had for full fruition.
 Considering environment. textbooks provided for her education. and other influences, there Is much for encour- agement in Miss Boyson's essay. which contains many generous and beautiful tributes to General Lee: while her ob- 5ectionable statements show no "mai- Ice of forethought," simply a lack of correct information. This is largely due to the many misleading textbooks NS, l. Nz- e. used all over the South because of the little attention paid to the con- tents of school books in- troduced into Southern schools by publishers offering large percentage on sales If these be adopt ed. The Confederate organizations have striven by every means to eiimi- nate such books knowing the false and erroneous statements contained in them; and in many States the State De- pertinent of Education has taken up this matter. and 1t is important to look to It that our children do no imbibe some of Miss Boyson's impressions.
 To declare that we. the Daughters of the Confederacy. are not in sympa- thy or accord with such statements. after our years of labor and unselfish devotion to the preservation of the truth. seems unnecessary; and 1t would seem strange if any mind could con- ceive the thought that we sanction or indorse any suggestion, however re- mote. of treason in the Southern peo- pie. who State by State. resumed their delegated rights by seeding from the Union and established the Confederate States of America and maintained 1t for four long years through stress and storm with great glory and honor. This record hae became a part of American history and should have truthful re- cord.
 Miss Boyson in fairness comedies that the question of secession had been purposely left open" by the foun- ders of this republic. and that Ion the two opinions held equally sincere pa- triots were arrayed." Hence there could be no treason in the attitude of the people of the South, and so well was this understood by distinguished turists of the North that after the in- dictment of Jefferson Davis he was never tried.
 A committee was appointed by my able predecessor to select the judges to award the prize. Three scholarly men of broad mind and attainment consent ed to serve us in this capacity. Two of these are of Southern birth and both descendants of those who served the Confectionery The nCve and loyalty of these men for the sacred memories of the South cannot be doubted, their statements of the construction enter tained by them as to the duties of their position have been fairly made. and we should be temperate and just in our Judgment of their action. It would perhaps have been wiser when making a selection of what they considered the best essays presented If they had in making the award stated that in do- ing thiS they could not indorse some of the statements made by the writer. Yet this must have seemed unnecessary to men entertaining such different views.
 In formulating the plan for the award of this prize In Teachers College there was no provision made for submitting the essay to the final indorsement of the President-General. for she is and should be responsible for the proper conduct of the affairs of the General Association. The judges Selected the best offered: but whether that selection merited the prize-that is, If 1t met acy and literary quality and structure" is matter which should have final arbitrament by the organization through the President General or the committee appointed by herself on which she should pass final judgment.
 In the award of the next prize, for which provision was made by the At
 
 be observed. the President seeing more clearly her duty in this matter,
 So let us cease to attach blame to any, for 1t Is the motive that consti- tutes the vital part of wrongdoing: and if censure be the keynote of life, who shall be blameless? We are on gagged in a great work. Let us bring to 1t the memory of "the spirit of Rob- ert F. Lee"
 The following In view of all the facts Is the action taken by Dixie Chapter:
 In response to a letter from Mrs. c. Nj. Tardy. Historian Alabama U. D. C.. published In The Advertiser of Febru- ary 2S. the Dixie Chapter. through the committee. desiresto place Itself on re- cord as obtecting to the withdrawal of to the students of Teachers College. Columbia University. for an historical paper
 The Chapter is pleased. however, to endorse the above recommendation of Mrs Cornelia Branch Stone. President General U. D. C.. that the final de- cision as to award be approved by the organization. through the President General or a committee appointed for the purpose by herself, whose decision also be approved by her.
 Further. the Dixie Chapter desires to express distinctly its disapproval of any censure whatever concerning the de- cision rendered by the committee of distinguished scholars who recently awarded the prize to the essay entitled Robert E Lee. a Present Estimate"
 Miss E. M, Bullock.
 Chairman
 Mrs. w W. Screws.
 Mrs F p Glass