Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-02-09
From the New York Times.


the possible perils of the future. But the
political influence of that element is ex-
tending rapidly enough to make its inten'
tons and its policy of some little interest
to the restof the Union. OF Southern DEM
ocrats it can be said with more truth than
Of those from any other section of the coun-
try, that they possess in common some
very clearly defined purposes, and that
they are very unlikely to permit their al
legiance to their party as whole to inter-
fere with their efforts to obtain what they
call ..iustice for the South. That fact
makes it more important for the rest OF the
country TO know precisely what their In
tentions are. Some interesting light was
shed upon this subject the other day by
Mr.. Ohio r. Singleton, one OF the Repre-
sentatiyes in the House from the State OF
Mississippi. Mr.. Singleton describes him.
self as "a Southern man. every inch OF
me, from the crown of my head to the sole
of my foot" There was nothing in his
speech before the House to show that he
Is not favorable specimen of his class.
He conveys the impression Of being an
impulsive, good-natured. outspoken gen.
tleman, without much experience of pub
lie affairs, but with great deal Of honest
enthusiasm for improving the condition OF
the people whom he represents. There is
no reason to doubt Mr.. Singleton's SINGER
ity when he declares that there is "no Bit
terness in his heart" and that he would
not, If he could, restore the institution OF
slavery. Nor can We believe that he is
not expressing genuine feeling when he
tells of the tears "trickling down the fur
rowed cheeks of his people" in listening
to his description of how the Southern
troops on their visit to Boston decorated
the monument erected to the Union dead.
This representative of the Southern de-
mocracy goes in without reserve for the
old flag. But he also goes in for an ap-
propriation--in fact, for several appropri-
atoms. He avows with perfect frankness
that he wants Congress to build up the
Mississippi levees, to issue bonds for the
construction of the Southern Pacific Rail-
road, and to carry out the great jetty
scheme at New Orleans. He is not pre-
pared to say what he would do about the
refunding of the cotton tax, but he is per-
fectly clear that the three schemes above
mentioned are absolutely necessary to
"build up the ruined South as well as to
further the interests of the country at
large. The promoters of the Southern
Pacific Railroad scheme ask the Govern
ment to guarantee-which in this case
would probably mean to pay-for fifty
years an annual gold interest on its bonds
Of five millions and three-quarters. That
would amount to gross sum of two hum
dred and Lightweight millions. If we add
to this contingent liability for the repay
ment Of the principal. the first requisite
for the recovery of the ruined South APP
pears to be probable addition to the ma
tional debt of some four bundled millions
of dollars. By way of beginning to the
restoration of the levees, Congress has
been asked to authorize the expenditure of
three millions of dollars, and the most
moderate estimates of the cost of the jetty.
scheme set it down at ten millions of dol
lars. The demand for the refunding of
the cotton tax is not merely problemati-
cal one. 1t has already been placed on
the files of the House in the shape of bill
No. 1892, introduced by Mr.. Roger @.
Mills, of Texas. How many millions that
involves has not been recently estimat-
ed.
1t would be mistake to suppose that
the only dangers to be apprehended from
the growing influence of the Southern de-
mocracy spring from the bitterness and
violence of its "unreconciled' politicians.
or from the proclivities for iobbery which
opportunity or evil associations may have
generated in its ranks. There are repre-
sentatives of the Southern people. as 10y
al as they are honest, who are as thor
oughly convinced as is Mr.. Singleton that
they are only asking simple justice in de-
handing that the Government should
spend nearly as much for the develop
ment of their material resources as it did
for the suppression Of the rebellion. Yet
these men will talk as gliby as the repre-
sentative from Mississippi about the ne
cessity of doing something for the relief
of an overburdened people, by cutting
down the meagre salaries Of foreign Con
suls and compelling our Ministers at for
eign courts to live still more stability than
they do. 1.-The Government was not in
stituted to take care of the few at the ex-
pense OF the many" is a remark which &C.
ours in the same speech which sustains
Tom SCOTS railroad subsidy and asks sun
dry millions for the improvement of the
Mississippi river. Such men are impervi-
Gus TO argument. The.perfect honesty of
their intentions makes their influence far
more to be dreaded than that of adopts in