The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-09-08
THE South"


apostle of hate If he asks why ''thC
South" " should be intrusted with the
government, he is reviled for shaking
the bloody shirt If he appeals tC
history to show what the South
means, and what the dominance OF
the South" portends, he is stigma
tied as wickedly sectional. But
'the South can be no more left out
of this campaign than slavery out OF
that of 1860, or the war from that OF
/ 1864, or reconstruction from that OF
/ 1868. The primary Democratic al
legation is that ''the South" is solid
for the Democratic candidates, and
Wade Hampton pledges It's 13S elec-
toral votes to them. This is gener-
ally conceded. The electoral vote OF
the South" viii be east for them.
because the popular vote win not be
cast freely nor counted fairly. The
only way the Democratic party can
Isucceed is by obtaining the 13S cleo
toral votes of '-the South" III the
usual Southern way, and by picking
up AZ votes i'll the North Demo
cratic success, therefore, is the sue
cess of ''thc South, and that fact is
the most important in the canvass
| There is no use in calling such re-
suit Democratic, not only because ii
has nothing TO do with Democracy
! but because it is best to call things
| by their right names. The election
Of Hancock would be the control OF
the government by ''the South" " Is
it desirable that the South" should
control the government? That is not
a question of Republican choosing.
Il Is raised by the facts of the case.
If to state the facts and ask the
question is to show hate, and to
shake the bloody shirt, and to be
sectional, we are certainly and glad
| ly guilty of all these oftenses. Since
the question whether ''the South
shall CONTROL the government Is un-
ayoidable and paramount, we shall
consider it. and we naturally ask
what ''the South means, How can
we estimate probable action except
/ by experience? The Democratic
party Is vigorously and unscrupu-
lously testing the Republican party
by its record. But when the Repub-
| licans resort. Very well, since YOU
wish TO control, what are your ere
dentials p The Democrats burst
into u whining chorus, "Oh, by-gones
must be by-gones don't be section
al; don't shake the bloody shirt :;
don't talk about fat money, or the
extra session, or Garcelon. or the al
lance of Northern slums and South
ern bulldozing and tissue-ballot stuff
fing; don't fan the fires OF hate, but
let us be brethren. and dwell in am
/ itv" In other words, they insist
that the Republican party shall he
tried by their deeds, and the Demo-
cratic party by its promises. 10
ask to see the credentials of the par
/ ty that would control the govern
ment Is to preach The gospel Of
hate, and to thrive by sectional pre-
Ijudice.
This Is nonsense which deceivos
nobody. Since Democratic success
in 1880 means Southern domination
as plainly as Republican success in
1860 meant Northern supremacy, the
relevant inquiry is whether the OBJ
jects which good citizens desire viii
be attained more probably under
Southern control That question
can be answered intelligibly only by
inquiring what the South" means.
1t cannot be answered by not asking.
If man seeks to be trusted with a
ship, the owner will certainly inquire
who he is and what he has done
If the traditions and principles and
spirit and tendency and acts of the
South" have been such as to promise
sounder financial policy, surer cor
rectiOn of the corruption Of patron
age, wiser taxation, greater security
OF equal rights, diminution Of sec
tional feeling, and vigorous suppress
sion of fraud and violence at the
polls than are probable under Re
publican ascendency, then the
South" may be safely called to adj
minister the government, but not
otherwise. How is this to be ascer-
tanned but by inquiry? And what IS
more absurd than 10 call such in
quiry preaching hate and shaking
| the bloody shirt? If anybody sup
! poses that a general election can take
/ place in this country while n solid
South continues, without reference
to the war and to political and ma
tional history, he is strangely mis-
taken. Sectional politics are dam
gerous politics. Our own cannot be
normal and sound SO long as there
is solid South" Why is it solid !?
Why does it not feel the currents and
| influences that divide the country
elsewhere? As the little Half hour"
book, Republican ar Democrat! of
which we spoke last week, truly
saws. the South is solid either for
sectional purpose or because Of re-
sentiment. 1t is made solid not by
conviction, but by coercion and
cheating. In three of the Southern
States at least there are more colored
than white citizens. That the color
ed citizens are Democrats the ma
rines or Judaus Apelles may believe.
That there votes are largely bought
| is not alleged. That they are bull
dozed is known. 1t was not all ne
cessary for Mr.. Randolph Tucker to
tell Us how the South is made solid.
1t is familiar knowledge" Now
the fact that the South is solid is no
reason for supposing that the South
ern-Hancock administration would
secure the objects which we have
mentioned more certainly than a
/ Republican administration, and that
"the South would be appeased or
conciliated by Democratic success is
no reason for giving it the govern
ment. If any reason can be found
/ in the tone of Southern sentiment,
| in the traditional political theories
of that section, or in its history be-
fore, since. or during the war, for
supposing that American principles
and civilization and progress would