New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-11

TIE HTNGEI SOUTH
Yes. hungry as well ~ solid. Indeed, the
south is Sold mainly because 1t Is very
hungry. When any decent man protests
against the bulldozms and fraud. the tissue
ballots, the systematic assassination and the
wholesale massacre by which the south has
been made solid, there are Southern citizens
who WHISPER, ore TO another, " We must have
" the votes in Congress, or we cannot get
through our jobs or collect cur claims" The
whole Southern country Is overglown with
these demands upon the Treasury, which spring
ND with more luxuriant growth than any other
class OF weeds. and are harder to Kill. II Is
not en- easy matter TO eXterminate the Canada
thistle. but ii can be done. Nobody has yet
discovered auy way OF discriminating the
more uischievOus and obstinate weeds
known MS Southern claims. Some time ago
TIE TRIBUNE gave a startling summary
of the claims and jobs which the Solid
South had up to that time presented,
but expressed the belief that the number ana
amount of these demands upon the Treasury
would be enormously increased if the South
should get control of the Government At
tbe LAST session the Solid South considered it.
self sure. 1t held the House. 1t entered into
control of the Senate. 1t felt sure OF electing
the next President, and was, therefore. con-
fdent that its measures would not only pass
hoth houses of Congress, but be approved 10y
the Executive after March 4, ISL. Bills by
the hundred were rushed forward in that be-
lief. Prudence gave way to greed. The eau
ton of shrewd Southern members was treated
with c.ntempt. Members were compelled by
their constituents to introduce their little
al in, IN 90 tIQIu well the
toward passage before the triumph of the
Solid South in a Presidential election should
hiring the promised hour. The record of THESE
bills THE TRIBUNE now submits, and it de-
serves the most serious attention of Northern
voters.
The figures stagger by their magnitude.
The South submitted bills, at the second SEES
sion of the last Congress and at the extra
session of the present Congress, involving an
expenditure of 1913, SCI, 900 for internal I'M
proyements at the South alone. AT the same
time. bills relating 10 private claims were
offered which demanded so, 963,O0O from
the public Treasury. La addition, the claim
is still urged with intense zeal for repayment
of the cotton tax, and il is estimated that this
alone would take 1850, 100000 from the
Treasury. From the beginning Of the first
session of the XINth Congress to the close
of the first session of the XLVlth, the bills
presented on behalf of the Solid South called
for 81 ,2S7, 524. 73j-mOre than enough To
bankrupt the Treasury. Yet these bills do
not cover the entire demand of that session
thus far The above statement does not in
clude any estimate for the cost of con-
structing railroads which it is proposed
to build by Government aid, at the rate of
$4,000 per mile for the San Antonio and
Mexican Border Road, $4,000 per mile for
the Texas Pacific, and similar sums for other
roads, the length of which il not now ascer-
tainab!e. Enormous as these demands are, thus
swelled by sums of unknown magnitude. they
still do not cover all the requirements of the
hungry South There il wanted payment for the
value of slaves emancipated as Il war measure,
payment for losses caused by the movement of
the Union armies, and payment for losses I'M
posed 10y Confederate dslOyal State Gov
ernments upon the loyal citizens of the South
In short. these claims in number as the
lice of Egypt, and in magnitude absolutely in
calculabe
What is the North gong to do about them
One thing we may as well understand at
the outset the Democrats of the North are
going to pay these any other claims
which the South may make, if they
have power. There viii be protests by the
score Of effective resistance, there viii DE
not any. Confederate Generals already have
secured cbairmanships of the committees
which pass upon these claims and jobs. The
Solid South VIII in future have clear ma
jority, rs it has now, IN every Democratic
caucus. The demands of the South viii be.
obeyed by every Northern Democrat who has
any ambition 10 hold high office by Demo-
cratic votes, or 10 WELD large influence in that
party. The Democratic party, to speak plainly,
does not care If it does bankrupt the Treas
my In fact, the majority of its voters and
leaders would rather see the Union dishOn-
ored financially than not. But whatever men
want, ,when the solid South demands they
will obey. For 1t is as true now as it ever