The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
The Twilight Zone.

We sound no possible note OF pessimism
when we say that we sometimes feel as
If this great country were now fully
entered upon the sweetest and most
subtly satisfactory period Of its exist
ence. in so far as the friendliness and
fraternaI feeling between the North and
the south is concerned in respect OF the
civu war.
Mr- Taft has just returned from a tour
OF the South that must have charmed
him in every fiber OF his genial. generous
kindly nature. The widow Of "StonewalI''
Jackson. that beau ideal OF Southern
chivalry has acclaimed him 10 the world
an apostle Of peace ard a President OF
all the people At Petersburg. the Chief
Executive rendered impartial praise 10
the blue and the gray for the heroism
each displayed in that sad fratricidal
strife OF forty-odd years ago Mississippi
presents a silver service 20 ore Of Uncle
Sans" big battle ships. and only here
and there is a note Of protest sounded.
and then II is quickly frowned down.
The North even refuses 10 grow unduly
excited as a monument 70 Ma3. Henry
Wirz is unveiled at Andersonvine. while
the South is reading in Scribner's Maga-
zine some truths about Sherman that
have opened wide its eyes, and tempered
wonderfully many criticisms Of that
grim old warrior and the things ne
wrought IN the long ago.
The great and splendid disposition TO
forgive and forget is beautiful to see.
It marks Us as a reunited people. II
furnishes the text for public addresses
and pa sriotic orations North.
East, South. and West The sections vie
with one another in protestations Of good
viii and good comradeship. u is well;
II is magnificent There are enough Of
those who participated in the civil war
stin in the ranks Of the living TO tell Us
Of its sorrows and its woes; but they.
too, in large measure. have outgrown
the rsneor and the bitterness Of It all,
and view with equanimity and entire
approval the love feasts Of the day.
But It all thrills and makes glad our
hearts now. because II contrasts 50 vivid
y with the past Just there behind US.
It startles. but It does not dismay; it
shocks but II shocks delightfully."-. and
We parallel it with the aninosity and
hatred OF yesterday. and we say 4,
pleases Us We are the more considerate
of one another nowadays because the
days when We were so widely separated
impress our minds so profoundly; we
would emphasize the joy that IS In US
now. because our souls are hungry that
we may be truly one again
And, by and by, the day will come
when orators viii cease TO dwell upon
the beauty Of reconciliation: that we are
al once more under the Stars and Stripes
forever win be taken as a matter Of
course. The sublimity OF the picture
viii be confessed. but its repeated thrust
iEs upon our attention may grow monot-
oaous, and we may incline 10 inquire
with some fmpatence, Why vex Us with
that thing We no longer dispute?
We have 10 disposition to quarrel with
fate that these things are so. We are
well into the twilight zone. and presently
We must emerge. Of course We cannot
stand still; our pathway Is ever onward.
AS this generation regards the Revolu-
tionary war. so viii generations yet IN.
born regard the war OF the eos; g grand
and glorious thing to think upon. but
calling for no measures OF resentment
The great-great-great-grandson Of many
an early patriot who linked in his talk
Of George III with the Old Nick him.
self. mayhsp. contemplates to-day that
picturesque figure in England history IN
anitely more IN good-natured tolerance
than in anger
So. let Us not get out OF the twilight
zCne one moment earlier than we must.
This is fine era We are passing through
these piping times Let US make the
most OF t.