The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-02-22
VOX POPULI.
WANTS PROFESSOR IN FLORIDA
COLLEGE DISMISSED

Staunton, Va. Feb. 10, 1911.
Editor Pensacola Journal.
In the Independent" q weekly
magazine published In New York, OF
February 9, 1911, there appears an ar.
ticle, "A Semi Centennial View Of Sc
cession," by Enoch M. Banks.
This article is an outrage upon truth
and upon decency, and is an insul to
every Confederate Veteran, every Son
OF Veteran and every Daughter of
the Confederacy. A short biographical
sketch heads this article stating that
Mr.. Banks. the author. is a native of
Georgia, and at present the professor
OF history and economics in the Flor
ida University. Every camp of the
Confederate Veterans, every chapter of
the Daughters of the Confederacy and
every camp of the Sons of Veterans In
the state of Florida should enter
loud and emphatic protest against the
retention of Mr.. Banks, by the board
of control. in his present position.
The primary, If not the sole, pur-
pose of these patriotic organizations is
to preserve and disseminate the truths
Of history as to secession, but IL one
who holds the perverted views Of Mr..
Banks is to fill the chair OF history
and economics in the principal institu-
ton Of learning in the state, then
these patriotic organizations are worse
than useless in the state of Florida
and might as well dissolve What is
the use of their continuance and Of our
annual memorial services IL the youths
Of OUT state are to be taught in the
university of the state that their faith
ers were either fools or knaves; that
"the two large principles (''the insti-
tuition Of slavery and state sover-
eiertv"o Involved in secession and the
Civil war" were anachronisms in the
1Jtn century; that the northern states
men Of 1860 advocated q principle Of
political organization in harmony with
the age in which they lived and in ac-
cord with the teachings Of history"
while the southern statesmen Of 1860
advocated a principle out of harmony
with the age and discredit by the his
tory of Europe during the past thou
sand years." that Abraham Lincoln
was statesman of the highest order
deserving to be ranked with such of
his European contemporaries as Ca
YOUR and Bismark;" ana that Jefferson
Davis was a statesman Of q distinct
ly inferior order in comparison, since
the cause which he championed with
SO much ability, heroism and devo-
ton runs counter to the true course
of political progress" that ''the North
was relatively in the right and the
South relatively in the wrong" all OF
which is commended in this article by
Mr.. Banks, professor Of history and
economics in the Florida University.
The whole article shows an utter
lack of sympathy with and knowledge
Of the causes leading to secession and
Of the principles involved In the great
struggle for, constitutional liberty made
by the southern people from 81 to '65.
The whole contention Is that success
is the criterion Of right.
The statement In the article that
it was as much the functions Of the
statesmen of 1860 to interpret the ma
ture Of our union In the light Of what
it ought to be. as it was the duty OF
our fathers in 1887 to act in harmony
with the demands Of their day." is
simply another way Of promulgatins