The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-19
Gen. Robert E. Lee and His Uniform

i'm power, respect ana grandeur.
II have long been OF the belief that
II was good thing for the country IA
make the gigantic test of the COS a
test that gave the world to know be-
yond the possibility OF doubt Thar
the Americans are the best type of IN.
worlds people, l do not censure NV
self; for strongly advocating the al
lowing of Virginia to do Just as sha
pleases under the law, in the matter OF
the two statuessin the Hall of Fam,
| do not censure myself: for being rloJ
that the statues OF those two erear
men, great soldiers, and the bcst
known type OF Christian gentlemen
glaGdcns the hearts of Lees soldiers
and the south generally, | do not cen
sure. myself; for sincerely regrettin,.
the action of-members Of the Michigan
Loyal Legion in urging Congress not
| To permit the statue of Gen Lee I'm tho
| Confederate uniform To be unveiled 4,
the Hall of Fame. / do not censure
myself. With deep regret / lament
the unwise, not to say unpatriotlc ae-
ton Of a handful of Grand Army men
i'm Chicago who joined the Michigan
Loyal Legion members i'm demandinr
that Congress prevent the placing of
the Lee statue i'm the Hall of Fame. II
was i'm bad taste. regret il becaus.
of the effect that their action will have
upon the south. ana the grief IL win
cause the survivors OF the man VIII,
bravcly followed Lee. I regret IL be-
cause i will bring ridicule upon tho
Grand phmy of the Republic and the
northern soldiers generally I regret
il because before this country IS gone
overy descendant of the Michigan men
and the Chicago men who placed
themselves in a position to be ridicul-
cd and condemned, will blush whom
their ancestors action Is recalled.
Conduct of that character by north
! ern soldiers beittles them in the eyes
of most of the public.
Isn't the war over? Isn't the Con
fcdcracy dead? Isn't Lees uniform
! harmless? Is il more than a memory
Isn't the Confederate nag dead Hag?
Is it more than memory? Is It n
|
brave men or patriotic Americans?
Need any northern soldier or citizen
, be scared because the brave old fcl.
! lows who wore gray uniform ana
! followed that flag still have a kindly
| feeling for both and now and then en-
| joy taking them out. looking ut them
and recalling the days in which they
thought they were right?
There are reasons why VIC ought to
be very generous and kindly i'm our
thoughts and actions toward south
and particularly toward the southern
soldier. They lost all in the contest:
they met bitter defeat Our side won
ALL a victory that meant evcrythin.
for our nation and very much for hun
dreds of millions i'm other nations not
for the present, but for all time to
come
If war had ended only Il few years
ago there might be some excuse for
the action of the Michigan and Chi
cago men. but in view of the fact that
the war was over nearly half a cen
tury ago. see no excuse for II, and
condemn It.
How quickly some of us forget A
few years ago our country had TO en-
gage In another war. From every
southern state thousands of young
men, many the sons and grandsons #
I confederate soldiers, casped hands
with other thousands of young mon
from the north, many of whom were
sons and grandsons of Union soldiers
and offered their services to the gov
crnment I'm that righteous war. old
Confederate commanders responded.
Three of Gen. Robert u. Lees close
relatives were among those who serv-
ed In the Spanish American war. How
fondly we all thought. as we look I'd
upon the inspiring, uplifting, pa
triotic picture that now the Civil
war Is over" But some people have
forgotten. a few in Michigan and
few In Chicago appear to have forgot
ten. Seemingly they would keep up
the strife.
We should not forget that this
country is as much the south's as il
Is the norths. That she has tho same
rights that the north has. That our
Tag is their flag that they were as
ready in '9S to assist in fighting the
country's battle as the north was, and
that no portion of the country. would
respond moro promptly should ot'.ct
onhgers demand great armies.
Has there been a president since the
war, had another war come, and Rob
crt E. Lee still olive and i'm condition
TO command. who would not have Sc
'ccted him as the commander of an
army? Grant, Mckinley. Hayes, Car
held, Arthur, Cleveland. Harrison,
Roosevelt and Taft would have count
cd themselves lucky TO secure his
services. What American would have
responded moro promptly. or with
stronger desire to serve his country.
than Robert T.. Lee? This is only
superstition, but 1t is "A perfectly safr
suDposition.
III alive. would Lincoln. Grant. SHEER
man, Sheridan. Thomas. Warren.
Smith. Sg1utpfclx 49,.