Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-02-16

The badge of loyalty these men
wore was their army blre With US
tnal cot0r lsd af40st as much mean
ing az the hae uEEsf which we
marched and fought And the con-
federate gray was as much the badge
Of disloyalty as the union blue was
of loyalty. The two uniforms meant
about as much as the two flags.
Certain it is that no truly iowa,
man either north or south would
consent that the stars and bars De
given an honorable place in our ma
tional capitol: and since the confeu-
crate uniform meant abouteth same
thing. / cannot see what place II
can have there even when on so
good a man as Robert E Lee.
If General Lees statue is to be
put where 1t is expected that mil
lions of patriots of cur country VIII
honor it, let it not pc so clothed
that it will stimulate exactly con-
trary thoughts and emotions. All thar
was worthy III him may be put there
without that which would invite ey-
ery-das criticism instead of honor
The uniform would tend to defeat
the very purpose for which the sta
tue was intended.
| suppose that among our GraAo
Army men there are three classes
of opinions concerning this matter.
A few of them object to any statue
of General Lee in that place Some
are willing, for the sake Of our south
rem brethren To have it put tnere.
in the confederate uniform. But,
think, nine out of ten OF the sur
yivors of the union army are willing
to see General Lee put into the Hail
of Statuary in the first or second
attitude of which | have spoken.
do not suppose any southern man or
woman would tolerate the United
States uniform-the badge of 10y
alty-on his statue any more than
most of us would like to see the
other badge upon him So I think
there should be compromise. Let
it be put there in citizens dress
just as it is in the Hall of Fame ar
Albany, New York.
| have read with much interest
the two articles of our good COM
rada Colonel J. A. Watrous, A Dead
Flag and General Lees uniform
agree with him in what he says
the old soldier of the south should
treasure it and gaze upon it win
tear-dimmed eyes. ] am In sympathy
with him when he carries it in pro-
eession at the big gatherings of his
comrades. But | do not want his
dead flag put into place OF honor
in our national capitol. and | do nor
believe Colonel Watrous would have
I there. I am sure ne would not
can sympathize, too, with the
southern veteran in his desire 10
keep in bureau drawer somewhers,
in his house his old confederate uni
form There came to our nationai
encampments at Denver and Mime
apolis an old confederate in a new
suit of gray, such as he wore in the
army. None of us found any FAINT
with him for wearing it there, ana
we all greeted him as he marched
along with the old boys in blue
But we would not like to see tnat
same uniform put in a place OF honor
in our national capitol, any more
than we would the nag he fought
under
Colonel Watrous has a great warm
heart, and / love him for 1t: also
accept his Judgment in almost CIV.
erything. But in this matter of Gen.
eral Lees uniform | cannot agree
with him. In his late army service
in the PHILIPPINES he was brought
into close relations with some OF the
southern officers who fought there
side by side with northerners. He
was drawn to them by the ties or
eomradeship, and / do not at Al,
wonder at his generous feelings IN
ward them and their ideal soldier
Robert +. Lee. | understand how II
is with him, but | would myself draw
the line this side of that uniform