The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-17

THE republican party Is not as mass friend
ly TO the south, though there We're Individual
members enough in both houses of iberSl and
friendly disposition to have passed easily all
the measures of interest to us had they been
allowed to come up by our so-ca'led friends
The democratic party of the north is theOretic-
ally friendly TO the south, but a bitter expert
ence has shown that il is always ready TO sac
rifice our interests in favor of its own, and a
reasonable presumption is that il will continue
to do so as long we patiently submit to such
treatment. When we demand a Ievee DiU we
are rendered instead a beautiful and sympa-
thetic set of resolutions passed in conventions,
send representatives to Washington who are
weak and foolish enough to accept such chaff
in lieu of our Just aud solid demands The
south does not need an alliance with any
party, but it should be a party by itself so far
as its material interests are concerned, what
ever may be the general principles it espous es
in national matters.
1t should be the purpose of members of
congress TO legislate as if there were no
south, north, east or west. In all matters
relating to the public welfare, sections
ought not to be considered. II the north
sends men to congress to antagonizs the
south, If the east seeks by congressional &C
ton to cripple the resources of the west; if,
in word, this sectional warfare is to be kept
up, it is safe to say that the whole country
will suffer. The arguments in favor of
building the levees of the Missis-
sippi river have been such as to
same may be said with regard to the South
ern Pacific railroad. But it will require
time to place measures of such commanding
magnitude fairly before the minds OF the
American people, and examinations and re-
ordinations between the south and the
north will not help matters. Mr.. Congress
man Ellis has been interviewed oy the New
Orleans Democrat upon the defeat of tie
levee bill, the Brazilian mail subsidy, and
the Texas Pacific bill. He said
1t is the suprernest folly to attribute TO
northern democrats alone the failure of these
measures. We have as many small, narrow
minded men in congress from the south as
who are democrats and southern men-ready
| to vote millions to improve a court house or
mill creek In their own districts, but who are
| unwilling to vote dollar for works of nation
/ al importance and national necessity for fear
| If the cry of subsidy" 1 have found much
! hoerallty of feeling among northern represen-
| tatiyes OF both parties towards those great
measures TO which you refer, and regret to
say have found much of the spirit OF mean
ness and illberality toward them on the part
OF some southern members. Such men, wnen
! cornered, shelter themselves behind the old
the constitution" and the slack OF cOnstitu-
tional authority to grant aid" to these great
/ measures. 1ney forget Two Facts. First. that
even under the old regime, when the constitu-
/ ton was strictly construed, no one ever doubt
/ ed the power of congress to grant aid to works
| OF national Importance and character. OF to
! measures promotive of commerce. The levees
the Pacific railroad and the Brazilian line of
mail ships are measures national in import
ance and character, and tending to promote
our domestic and foreign commerce; and Sec
ondly, they forget that the war and Its results
changed the character of the federal cOnstitu-
ton in this regard.
1t is gratifying to note that Mr.. Ellis does
not regard the failures OF his favorite meas
ures as evidence of hostility 10 the south,
or as being regarded as sectional questions
at ALL The right of the government ID ex-
pend money in a way that Mr.. Ellis favors
Is doubted by good many men who are
not marrow minded" They prefer to go
slow when millions of the peoples money
is asked for, and their hesitancy upon such
propositions VIII not make them unpopular.