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Show I WHEN PtRIDE IS TOUCHED. : Down in old Virginia there is left some of the fire of the days when the Southern gentleman would not brook an insult, i Yesterday, in the court house at Manassas, Virginia, some one insinuated that some oue else was a- liar and immediately there was i i a challenge and a reply, and distinguished members of the bar start- I J ed to pummel each other. Southern honor is slill maintained much in the same way that , a man's good name was defended in the west in the period of the ! -I diicl. In California, in "the days of old, the days of gold," tho Forty-niners had their deadly contests on the field of honor the ' ' " most thrilling of which was that in which Broderick, a brilliant pub- f" , lie man, was killed by California's most distingushed lawyer. The I lie had been, passed and Broderick was invited to be present with his second at a designated spot. There the principals and their seconds met, the duelists being armed with pistols. The better shot in this i maimer, was vindicated. How, no one was ever able to explain. I j Too often the victim was more worthy to live than his slayer. The duel became so serious a disregard of exact .justice that in California and Nevada no one could hold office who did not take an oath to the effect that he never had engaged in the duel as principal, princi-pal, or second. It was not until this drastic legislation, in condemnation condem-nation of the practice, was enacted that the duel ceased to be resorted re-sorted to as a means of settling bitter animosities. 1 In the west today a man who is called an opprobious name can turn on his heel and treat the offender with contempt and, by so doing, lose none of his self-respect or the good opinion of his asso- eiates, in fact receive praise for keeping his balance. This can be done, if the attacks are not persisted in and then recourse to the law is considered the proper thing, as physical prowess would prove nothing more than physical strength, which is not valued with strength of character. When the cave man had his club, the su-i su-i prcme test of fitness was the big stick which Roosevelt advised his, J Cricnds to carry while they spoke in tones soft and low. " But the Virginian continues to be somewhat sensitive. He iu-1 iu-1 lierits fighting blood. He is "extremely touchy about his honor. ' Therefore it is not surprising that Congressman Flood of Virginia struck Lawyer Barbour over the head with a cane, when the attor-f attor-f ney tried to impress upon the congressmen the brand of a false wil-' wil-' ness. There are many degress of honor. A prize fighter would feel I j' disgraced if he were accused of hitting an enemy with a cane, for k he would lose caste with those who considered it cowardly to striku I with any artificial weapon in a personal encounter. Here again a f, -J thefiuely drawn code of honor. " " People generally are now appealingMo the courts, and that is I what, nations should do when their pride is touched by others. A ' declaration of war between nations is nothing more than the apply-)(f apply-)(f ing of' the duel to international affairs. Eventually the duel b ' V uwcen peoples should go the way that the duel between individuals !i has gone. ',' i - " |