New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
and "Dixie"

Lincoln and Dixie" The superficial
thinker will wonder how there can bc cX-
cuse for this juxtapositIon. for 1t g. a fact
little known tnat practically IN" last "N-
preston Of preference In tho life of this
great American was in favor "f the song
Of the boys in gray Just b"for" the fatal
trIp 10 Ford's Theatre from which Lincoln
was brought To die n post band and a great
concourse OF people gathered to serenad"
President Lincoln. who had just returned
from the South where. after the long strug-
gle. peace had been proclaimed. The ever
good -naturod President showed himself al
the window and called to the musicians 10
"pIav Dixie" And as the astonlshed crowd
murmured a protest. Lincoln gayly cried:
THAT tune belongs to us-wc fought for 1t
and we won IL fairly
Some wears ago. when his oxcellcncy
Wu Ting-fang was attending n festival Of
song 10 celebrate the peaceful condition of
the world at large he warmly objected To
the use of Dixie" on the programme, as
he understood 1T is war song In the
South" Mr.. Wa was ethlcally correct, but
hts philosophical point OF view was better
than his grammatical tense, for at the
time of speaking there had been no war In
Grafton. IT must be practically impossible
for an alien 10 understand the American
love for this idealized absurdlty, Dixie
tho music hall Jingle of nonsense which
has spurrcd men to their death with
laugh on their lips.
"D,xie" is a combination OF the ridiculous
and Of the sublime. II is pulse stirring by
roason Of its construction. and soul stirring
.hnu
an,,o,ne OF the native American, lie who
will laugh or fight joyously. but VINO has
,o m,,,co I'm his heart after the battle is
over.
The great American martyr understood
this or perhaps he saw with prophet'
vision when he gave utterance IN his Iila"-
e,Iral address to words time has proved so
splendidly true: Though passion may
have strained. II must not break our Uohus
Of affection. The mystic chords OF memory
stretching from every battlefield ana pa
triot's grave to every heart ana heartn-
stone over this broad land. Will yet sven
the chorus of the Union when again
touched as surely they VIII De- pS 'he
better angels Of our nature
Had Mr. Lincoln witnessed a niue ih,r
dent OF the Roosevelt inaugural paraue ne
would have. believed his Vlsloh Id'l'eu'
BrigadIer General Frederick Grant SEEM
ing a reincarnatlon of his world famous
father. swept by the Presidents stand III
/ front of the White House-the very lhe OF
march where the victorious Grant had
possed I'm high triumph long before-a pand
inst I'm his van struck up Dixie wnen the
appIause for Grant was swelling the echoes
The significance Of the soul stirring he'ouy
as associated with Grant, who In the words
OF Lincoln had won Dixie fairly, struck
the quick sensibilities of the oniookers' ana
the vast crowd rose, waving hats ana
handkerchiefs. and shouted for Grant
and for "Dixie" and for the Union ana
the mining times Of peace
Dixie" celebrates the land OF King Cot
ION that bounteous monarch whose service
pivos wages alike to the worker In the
southern fields and in the Northern mills.
! II is the least warlke tune IN the world
probably. that has ever had the boom OF
cannon for an obhligato. 1t was splendid
tune to die by, but much better 10 iive oE'
for il is the melody for smooth and happy
davs Let's sing all together m honor oi
! the tune and of the great good lhncoin'
who could sec good even IN The "inspira-
| ton" OF the enemy