The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-09
GEN. COX DISCUSSES
THE NECESSITY OF
CORRECT SOUTHERN
HISTORY

southcih uiotois aAu NeH. SoA
views on same:
A. Cox, of Lakeland, Fla,
native of Mississippi, enlisted in the
Confederate Army April IA, 1861.
and paroled May 10, 1865, was
seven months in prison at johnson
Island, Ohio. After serving as Ma
jor General, commanding the Florida
Division. United Conferedate Veter-
ans. he was honored by being elected
to that rank for life. General Cox
has been the efficient doorkeeper of
the House of Representative during
present session of the Florida Leg
islature.
Correct Southern History Wanted by
the Legislature
The bill introduced in the House
by Representative Lake, of Seminole
county, known as the historical COM
mission bill, was amended when it
reached the Senate last Saturday
by striking out all after the enacting
clause and substituting practically
a new bill, on motion of Senator
Johnson, of Suwannee. The new
bill is a short one, containing only
two sections. 1t reads as follows:
"A bill to be entitled An Act pro-
viding method for securing cor
rect history of the United States, in
Guiding correct history of the Con
federacy, and making an appropria-
tion for such purpose.
BE it enacted by the Legislature
of the State of Florida:
Section /. The amount of one
thousand five hundred ($1,500)
dollars is hereby appropriated as
Florida's share of fund of sixteen
dollars, to be offered as a prize to
the person who shall write the best
history of the United States in which
the truth about the participat ton in
such history of the eleven States de-
signated as follows: Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas,
Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee.
The awarding of this prize of six
teen thousand five hundred ($l6,-
5C0) dollars shall be made by a
commission appointed by the Cover
nors OF the States enumerated;
provided, that this appropriation
shall not be available until each of
the States enumerated, or a majority
of the States enumerated, shall pro-
vide an appropriation of an equal
amount for this purpose.
Sec. 2. The Governor is hereby
directed to communicate with the
Governors of the several States
named herein looking to the carry
ing out of the provisions of this act.
General Cox's Tribute
In connection with this bill the
following communication has been
received by the editor of The Record
from General Cox of Lakeland:
Mr.. Editor-ln behalf of my old
comrades of the Florida Division and
the mothers and daughters Of our
Q lorous Southland, | desire to thank
Representative Lake of Seminole,
Dawson of fernando, Davis of st.
Johns. Cade of Volusia. and Penny
of St. Lucie, all of whom spoke elo-
quently and feelingly in favor of the
passage of House Bill No. PA. This
bill, known as the Lake bill, was de-
signed to secure, as ar as possible,
the truth of history.
All honor to these five patriotic
orators, as well as the noble men wso
sustained their contentious by their
votes.
The old soldiers have never asked
for anything but the pure, unadul-
terated truth in regard to the cruel
war between the States, nor will
they ever be satisfied with less.
Far be 1t for me to impugn the
/ motives VI tHt 1oui tttb Iith >" nv
opposed the Lake bill. but permit
me. gentlemen, to say that some
things in life are worth more than
money, towit. truth, honor and yir-
tue.
The writer of this was a, teacher
| for forty-seven years, and he felt
it was his duty to examine each his
| tory as it came from the press.
Many of these contained false state
, ments as to our motives and the
| causes of the war, also many perver-
sions of well authenticated facts.
S.me of these con tanned most damn
able fes as to the social conditions
OF our psople prior to the war, not
sparing the eonor and virtue of our
women. One ",ut so far as to say
that in each South>rn family the
father was the king al the mother
was the queen of the ham.
Such things should mani, the
cheeks of manhood with shame. vet
we find men quibbling about tn.
cost when we strive to secure the
truth and purity of Southern his
tory and Southern literature.
Legislatures may come and Leg
islatures may go, but, thank God
: we believe that the time will come
when the actions and motives of ouI
leaders, when the heroism and