The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-06
The Solid South.

The south and what it will do politically
in the future seems to attract consider
able attention from Republican papers
and although these political phrophets
appear to favor divided south, it is evil
dent that q solid south" provided that
the solidity is Democratic, would be much
preferred, While Republicans profess to
be union loving and patriotic, it is we'll
known to the leaders that. but for the
solid south" as they term it. Mr.. Gar
field would not to-day be president elect
The south Is solid for-the south, that Is
to say, she is true to herself. favors the
advancement of southern interests, desires
co increase her manufactures and multiply
her agricultural productions, and to govern
her local affairs in such manner as the
people of each state in the south shall
determine. That is what the south wants,
what she is solid for-and for nothing else
Is there anything criminal in thisT Is
there northern state which does not
desire to manage its affairs 10
it's own way-wants to increase
it's wealth, build up its prosperity
and augment It's population? Not one.
And yet the Republicans make a great
outcry against the solid south,
The election is over aud this question
should be discussed in fairness. nothing
can be gained by Misrepresentation and it is
TO be hoped the Republican leaders will
drop the policy of sectional hate, land leave
the south to attend to its private affairs in
the same way as do the other states. That
is all the south asks, and all that it has
ever asked.
But the trouble with Republican politis
clans is, that the south is Democratic
instead of Republican. If the people of
the south would elect Republican carpet
baggers to congress, and support Repub-
Iican candidates for state officers, there
would be no complaint from Republican
sources-it would be all right according to
the stalwart doctrine. But because the
south is Democratic and refuses to be
robbed By set of thieving carpet baggers,
the Republicans vent their hatred-and
for no other reason. All the talk about
another war is buncombe and none know
this better than the staIwart proclaimers
of such Himsy trash. The south is loyal
to.day-iust as loyal as any other part OF
the union. but it is not Republican. and so
the stalwart schemers keep up tho Sec
tional fight with all the bitterness which
party invective can conceive.
The south will continus solid, but there
will be many changes in the next
four years not political changes -
for the south is Democratic from principle
but there will be vast Improvement in The
business of the south. Already this II
perceptible and since 1877. has beer
markedly on the increase. Take fol
instance Georgia. and to-day her manufac
lures are developing in all parts of tn
state. The isolated fields are now pro
ducing tons of cotton, thousands of bushSt
of cereals are raised yearly, immigration
seeking employment. and throughout th
state is the evidence of prosperity. So
is in Tenn, North Carolina. South Carroll
ma, Mississippi and Florida. If the south
left to pursue its even tenor. there will De
greater development of her resources tina
ever before, and in this respect the sout
will be solid. The south has depende
largely on the north for many article
which she, in the near future will be abl
to produce in her own borders, and whe
that day arrives, she will be found branch
ing out, extending her trade to Mexic
and South America, while the north wi
feel seriously the loss OF trade from PEG
pie cursed to-day because they choose
vote differently from what a set {
politicians in the north think they mus
When the time comes that northern bul
mess men realize that the south is inds
pendent of the north for wagons, plowi
and sother manufac lures. then wi
they be ready to disregard the dictatio
of INSCRIPTIONS politicians who denounc
the south, simply because the people G
that section will not submit to be plunder
ed by carpet baggers and political tramp
with no principle in fact. mere horde c
hungry seekers after spoiIs.