Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-16

| HIS eoEEy puBnt IL not nelpeu Dy the TACT
that there is practically now no chance what
ever OF either amendment obtaining the
necessary majority. The uplfters are
standing at the runway. The Congressman
who emits two sbilant "Yescs" has clear
road to tho white pen devoted to sheep.
Those base and bass enough for two Noes"
will be kicked into the dark receptacle for
goats. And the bedeviIed Scion who tries to
play safe with one negative and one af-
firmative may find himself with neither wool
to warm him nor horns wherewith to fight.
@--===-======z=
Gross Injustice to the South
THE Kansas City Times, in what it would
L refer to itself. probably, "a plea for
greater military preparedness" does gross
injustice to a great section of this nation,
whose sentiment and ideal the Times is hut
i'll qualified to understand It's criticisms
are rather adroitly worded, but if they mean
anything it is that Southern opposition to
the Roosevelt policy of jingcsm and agrees
sion are inspired by bitternesses engendered
In the War Between the States and still
ranking.
Even after the passing Of a half century"
says, this organ of mid-Western opinion
which likes to declare that it is more Kansan
than MiSsourian, there Is strong clement
in the North that regards the Democratic
party as still more or less on trial" That
means. with its context, on trial for deficient
is that this unseemly doubt still fingers.
but 1t has no just foundation. nor is it shared
by what is best and most intelligent in
Northern opinion. II the doubt not laid
by the Souths immediate and enthusiastic
response to the call of q Republican Pres-
dent at the outbreak Of the Spanish American
War, ii would be futile to attempt to pacify
il by adding a few thousand more men to
the army purchasing an extra supply of
ammunition But the Times goes on:
Memories of the still bitter
In the South, and it is possible that they
affect the feeling of Southern members
OF the government toward the question
of ornaments. The President may
consciously share in this feeling. We
all are creatures of our environment to
II greater extent than we appreciate.
Bosh! There is some bitterness in the
South, of course, but that war product is
not exclusively Southern. No camp Of Con-
federate Veterans venture to say, would
indulge in such grossly untruthful and
abusive criticism of Lincoln and Grant as
We hear rather too frequently from posts
of Union veterans in reference to Davis and
Lee The bitterness this side OF Mason
and DiXon's line is disappearing. There are
more loyal Americans, as the examples
Of Fitz Leo and Wheeler and numerous
other former Confederate cheftains and
their sons abundantly testified, than the men
who wore the gray. "Cleye!acds sturdy
Americanism," to which the Times refers to
afectionately, is much reverenced in Vir-
ginia OF North Carolina it is in Missouri
or kansas-and we speak there, we hope
with an appropriate modesty and repression.
There is no substantial opposition in the
South to making the regular army and navy
as efficient as they can be made. The South
is with the President in this, just as it is
with him in his opposition to the alarmists
who would seek to brighten this government
into shaking its fists under the noses CT other
he hnl wit ~,
President that military training should be
made attractive, and thar as many young
Americans as possible should be taught the
OF arms and how to bear themselves in
1t is opposed. like him, to militarism but
its antagonism is rooted in convictions that
existed long before the War Between the
States-that were the inspiration OF the men
who colonized this land and founded this
government. 1t holds the Democratic doc
trine that great standing armies are opposed
to the genius of a free people, and its opposi-
ton is as much to the spirit that standing
armies represent TO the armies themselves
Ii the patriotic loyalty Of Southern Demo
cracy is on trial, the Times is kind enough
to suggest, the South is neither distressed
by the fact nor apprehensive of historys
verdict. In the meantime it is not going
TO be dragooned or bugabooed into approval
of course that no warlike menace justifes
and that violates its whole theory of govern
ment and every tradition it holds most dear
Hostilities to Continue During the Holidays
IT WAS a humane and proper act for the
l Pope 10 try to arrange for cessation OF
hostilities during the season Of the year that
is consecratcd to Glory TO God in the
highest. and on earth, peace, good will
toward men. But 1t was an effort fore.
doomed to the failure it has met The
Vatican pathetcally announces that the ac-
ceptance Of the benevolent proposal lacked
the necessary unanimity."
All the unanimity there is among the