The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-10-19
Plain Truth About the Southern
States.
From the New York Herald, Sept. %

From the New York Herald, Sept. 28l
1t is reported that after the Octo-
Der elections a considerable Aumber
Of prominent republican speakers
are to be sent into the Southern
States to address the people there.
This looks at first sight like an ex-
cellent and even a patriotic move
ment. 1t is always useful to bring
the people of the different sections
face to face. When they see each
other they see that neither is as bad
as the other thought. Last year
Colonel Lamar and Senator Gordon
went up into New Hampshire to
speak for the democratic party, and
their presence drew large audiences
of people curious TO see these ia
nous Southern men-just as, no
doubt, Mr.. Blaine. Mr.. Schurz and
Senator Morton would draw great
crowds in the South to see them.
But, after all, if we had to advise
the republican leaders we should
urge them to leave the Southern
States unvisited during this canvass.
Indeed, We should go further and
tell them that if they were wise they
would give up every Southern State
to the democrats for this election.
The South has been constant and
increasing embarrassment to the
republican party. The party has
acted upon the superstition that il
must somehow make and keep those
States republican. They seem TO it
the prize of war, to give up which is
to give up the result of the war. We
speak of this as superstition, and
it is nothing else. In reality the re
publican party would be far strong
er today if it had had courage four
years ago to cut adrift the Southern
wing of the party and left the demo
Gratis assume the responsibility of
the holitical settlement in those
States. What harm could have
come to ttD country9 Not the least.
The democratic party South is not
composed of monsters and barbara
ans; thos, Southern States which
have, in spite of republican strug-
giles, become democratic are almost
the only peaceful and prosperous
ones; which proves sufficiently that
the Southern democrat, thrown on
his responsibility, seeks, as he must,
to secure honest and lawful govern.
ment for his State. He cannot
help doing so, for he owns nearly
all the property in his State aud
has larger interest in its prosper
ity than the republican by far. The
credit of democratic Georgia is as
good as that of the federal govern
ment. Arkansas is peaceful and
prosperous under democratic rule,
while South Carolina and Louisiana
are unqulet and wretclied under re-
publican control. Alabama, long
thought to be no better than Louis
lana, became quiet as soon as the
democrats gained the ascendancy.
That is to say, the republican
rule in the Southern States has not
been a success, but the contrary;
and the failure has been caused
mainly, if not altogether, by the
fact that the SO called republicans
of the Southern States have been
the constant pets of the Northern
republican politicians; they have
been nursed and coddled; their quail
tiles have not been questioned; their
faults and crimes have been con
doned; they have been bolstered
up by extraneous forces, by federal
troops and federal interference of
various kinds. They have not ruled
on their merits, or because they
were able, stronger, more capable
men than their opponents, but be-
cause they were allowed to- call for
federal troops when they chose; TO
sell their support in Congress and
in national conventions for partisan
and dangerous legislation intended
to bolster up their continually fail.
ing influence in their section. They
have played upon the humane fears
and the ignorance OF Northern re
publicans until their wretched and
selfish misgovernment in the South
has brought the national republi-
can party into disrepute and danger
OF defeat. And, after all, they who
have dona this aro not ro,n,,I;oone