The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1917-05-24

/ have heard IL charged that South
erners sometimes make finicky de-
mands upon historians who wish q
market in the South, but know the
Southerner, and have as much faith
in him as 1 have I'm any other Ameri-
can, and 1T is my deep conviction that II
the Northern historian will deal fairly
with the South, and will frankly place
upon the North the blame for, let us
say, the Outrages of reconstruction
dealing honestly and openly with the
subject AZ it should be dealt with
then tn" SoutlIrrner will meet him half
way, and will not bubble over equally
frank. academic statements concerning
the evils of slavery. If the Northern
historian will give true picture OF the
noble spirit of the South In the Civil
wIr, of the greatness OF Lee, Davis
and other Southern leaders, of the out
RACES of reconstruction. etc, and will,
further, do justice to all great men Of
the South (giving, for instance, to
Matthew Fontaine Maury, the South's
great scientist, the mention he de-
serves, along with Eli Whitney and
Robert Fulton and Cyrus Field and
$. +. II. Morse and others Of the regu-
lar historic "stock'D, then think he
viii find tn" South as open-minded as
can he. For the Sensitiveness OF the
South Is perfectly natural sensitive
ness. which comes OF having been ham
m"r"d altogether too much. 1t Is time
that stopped.
IN ,nrf 90
n"Iinnnl board composed OF prominent
men of both sections. organized for the
purp"S" of improving American school
histories and of demanding that they
be Intelligent. fair. and free from
niardlin appeals to national vanity.
\ few foolish people may, perhaps,
tax" tho attitude that to present facts
diScr"dit;,hl" to the nation is "unpatrl-
oti"." If Il historian were to write Il
really frank hiSt,iy today, the sales
man for rival books would doubtless
Stn"p To Surh an argument. In this
connection. however. l am reminded Of
Lord Roberts campaign for truth and
preparedness in I.uSland. He was
called "unpatriotic" But the history
which has been made since has proved
him ri"tt. and there is perhaps no fig
TAR" of the past century whose memory
iS today r"vCr"d by the British people
HS j. IT," memory Of 'Bobs."
IN this country General Wood. ham
IiCapr'I ny 4 wa" department muZZle,
has h"rn. lk" Roberts, II voice crying
in the Wilderness.
Had history been rightly written for
our people. there would be no need for
preparedness campaigns, for the ne
"u..Sity of prepare lncSs would be fully
; understood
These VIII" hav" talked preparedness
for tho last three years have been de-
. ridcd h! the par,iNrS and their press
| ~ "hy>.l'ricsl." rr again we have been
D told that those who believe the country
. ought tn IL" ready tn defend itself wish
10 sell munitions. Such statements are
nrihiny less than vicious licS-lics
none the less vicious because, in many
Instances. those who utter them pre-
'umahly huiicvc them.
TIL" paci:iSt argument is tantamount
10 that Of the man who refuses tO
carry nn umbrella lest it bring on rain
fHri such IN argument can be Scri-
ru~ly considered hy our people IL large
ly tn" fault of historians and teachers
of history who if they have not drlih-
Cratc'y miSl"d the nation, have given
ii halr-'ruthS.
So here we are again, as / write, on
tl,r verge of war, yet rs unrcady for II
H~ W" nave always been when wars
have come.
~ n a thor