The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-12
Stirring Sectional Prejudice

To the Editor of The Age-Herald
leave to better posted men the talk of
discussing economic questions but would
ask your indulgence that I may more In
sorrow than in anger say something in re-
gard to one phase of the presidential cam
paign, and as beginning l would ask if
Hughes chances are so desperate that
it is necessary to dig up the prejudices of
the past to secure votes in the northern
and western states.
1. too, like Raymond Robins, have no
apologies to make for having been a dem
croat, but don't know SO well about be-
ing progressive. l voted for Roosevelt
because he had published a platform that
liked and 1 had faith in his promises
and that democrat and republicans could
meet on common level and we could get
rid of some of the very prejudices that
Robins and men of his stamp are trying
to ressurrect, including the skeleton of
the civil war and by means Of this get
votes for Hughes. While our great leader
valves the big stick and shouts, Come
on boys" I must drop back and sing that
good old song of long ago, I'm going
home to die no more"
Mr.. Robins says he was born in -be
south. If his father or mother are ouried
here, if he will tell me where, 1 will be
tempted to make a pilgrimage Gold as l
ann to their graves and drop the tear Of
sympathy for their humiliation in the
words used by a degenerate son in his
Portland speech.
One other question for Mr. Robins:
What are the social issues confronting the
country that cannot be entrusted to a
party under southern control, and while
he says in the way that school teacher
would talk to a set of children that there
are good men and women in the south
/ suppose this is offered as sop for the
insult offered in the other words.
The boast of Abraham Lincoln was that
he knew no north, no south, no east, no
west, but one country, united and indi-
visible. Shall the people of his section go
back on his memory and seek by means
of what should be buried prejudices to ar
ray that section against another?, don t
believe it will win. have an abiding
faith that the sons of the men who stood
| in front of me in our i'll fated war will
prove as chivalrous as their fathers |
met them with rifle in hand. I met them
after had laid down my arms and on one
occasion I passed among a whole troop
of them single and alone, and no taunr or
insult was offered me, and I can't think
that the descendants of those men will
ask us to come cringing and begging for
crumbs from a masters table. We ac-
cepted the issue in good faith, have taught
our children to forget and to love the flag
of common country and to honor i man
not because he Is southern born, bur he
cause he is an American. But to apollo
gize for being born in the south or for
having been a Confederate soldier we
can't, and il this is to be the character
fof the Hughes campaign l would suggest
La change Let them commence at the
first. Let Governor Hughes get copy
of Uncle Toms Cabin and when they
open a meeting read a chapter and let
Robins sing "Old John Brown lies inoul-
dering in the grave Respectfully.
j. ]. L. STEWART.
huntsville. September g. 1916.