Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-02-14
Eentered at the Newport News. Va,
PCstofice as Sccond-class matter.
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY IA. 1909
LINCOLN AS THOUGHT LIB
TRAITOR"

The second sentence of the report
from Hogdenvillc Ky. describing the
Lincoln memorial cornerstone laying.
referred to the late Presiden, in this
Language:
The emancipation of a race and.
more than that. the liberator of the
thought Of a nation. lIildel his own
monument in the heart OF the world.
etc. etc
The Daily Press enters no objec-
ton to the characterization OF Mr..
Lincoln as 1.-THE cmanc.pator OF
race although it submits that to
his military commanders and to the
private soldiers in the Union army be.
longs some of the credit given for the
achievement
But the role OF the libcrator OF
the Thought OF the nation" is new
and altogether different proposition.
To endorse II the South is to proclaim
tina. before President Lincolns eman-
cipstion of the negro race. censorship
over intellectual activity in this sec
ton was enforced and that thought
was narrow and circumscribcd.
Il is reGrettal'e that nearly all OF
the leading daily newspapers in Nir-
sinia failed 10 exercise their blue pen
Gil perogatives upon this paragraph
in the news dispatch from Hogden
Vile.
Although written by the correspon-
pendent perhaps with full concep
ton Of its import. the passage really
was of an editorial nature and may
not fairly be regarded as news fea-
ture of the repot of the ceremonies
connected with the cornerstone lay
ing.
Certainly every Virginia newspaper
that failed 10 expurgate the objection
able paragraph shoulI retract all criti-
cisms heretofore printed rejecting
upon Doctors Alderman and Smith
for the Lee essay award.
without any reference to Lincoln
as. a thought liberator." the Ralti'
more SIN very clearly sets forth the
Southern estimate of Lincoln. and az
the same time calls attention tn the
stupendous disadvantages under
which the South waged its figh'
The Suns ideas are emphatically in
opposition to Miss Boyson's d"cIara
ton that the Confederate government
always was lamentaPly incompetent
and that Lees assistants" were iSno
rant and unreliable:
SAYS the Sun:
Mr.. Lincoln faced conditions All
problems that were new and Of Si
preme difficulty And ne trough: &c
bear upon them an ability that sur
priSed both his friends and enemies
But to say that either Mr. Lincoln
or any other one man saved the
Union CT that he was the only on
man who could have waged che val
TO a successful conclusion. .seem'
w!thoyt warrant wher We cousider
that he had behind them in property
snlp~ ana SuHs. VI HtH. iH WY w
source cf warfare several timc@ th'
effective force Of those 70 whom h
was opposed. And II will b. sdnit'et
nov on all hands that he had bchin'
him also the moral sentiment Of IN
civilized sorli in opposition TO siS
very. ana such \ sentiment count
for much in every struggle. Whe
the comparative wcanness OF th
Sout his taken into account the vor
der In thar the war was 20 prolonset
and tha; u cost q million ives an
Ss.Oos. 600 40 Of treasure
when the opposing forces arc cor
xidcrcd the victories Of isooln an
Grant czn hardly b. nuabcrej anon
tie uoR stuvendous schseveocnss !
humsn history.
~ISucsls's rise from soyerty 10 th
higsrst pos1sioa: his aevsttn to IN
euuuoa vcop;c: hts ttsasy humor