Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/82

 [From Indianapolis, Ind., News, August 14, 1907.]

THE WOMEN ARE THE WISER.

Some time ago the "Confederate Ladies' Memorial Association" asked that the name of Jefferson Davis be restored to the "Cabin John Bridge," near Washington, where it had been chiseled out during the war. (It had been placed there because Davis was Secretary of War and had selected the plans for the bridge.) The Charleston News and Courier protested against the action of the Association on the ground that it was not the affair of the Southern people but of those that did the act, and it wanted to see the mutilated stone stand. In turn we argued to a correspondent that this mutilation—done in the heat of wartime—reflected on us as a people and ought to be obliterated by a restoration of the name, and cited the argument of our Charleston contemporary as revengeful and as evidence of its wanting to "feed fat its ancient grudge" by having the stone stay mutilated. To this our contemporary (which, be it said, we highly regard and admire), replies that it has no grudge and is not animated by revengeful feelings; that it simply protested against the action of the Southern Ladies' Association, because "it was not our affair," and that the correction should be made "by those that represented the vandals that did it." It continues thus:

The mutilated stone on "Cabin John Bridge," as our Indiana contemporary says, "reflects on us as a people"; not upon the people of the South, nor upon the interests represented by any Confederate Association, but upon the people of the North. They mutilated the stone; let them restore it. It does not make the least difference to Mr. Davis' people whether they do or not, but as long as it remains in its present condition it will continue to "reflect on us as a people." "We think," says our contemporary, "the name is better there for us than the blank space—far better." Doubtless that is true, but it is not a matter in which Mr. Davis' people should interfere. That is all.

But "Mr. Davis' people" are "us people." They are part and parcel of this American people and their opinion is part of the public opinion that guides the country. They have their due