National Republican., 1880-07-24
DANGER FOR TuE SOUTH.

threaten to disrupt the party if they are
not soon healed, and IL all springs from
personalism" The latter he defines to be
the attempt of individuals-one or more
to use the party to advance individual
ends" This means very little more than
| TO say that it is an inOrdinate greed for
office which afllicts the party in Georgia.
| That il is so afflicted is evident In Georgia,
and in the south generally, the passion for
Office is greater than in the north. 1t is
sought for as a social distinction even more
than as source ofpecuniary profit. Men
will fight over an appointment there which
would in the north be gladly given to some-
one who would consent TO take it for the
public convenience. A reason for this is
found in the large number of families who
are still trying to live respectfully upon the
remnants of a social standing, the means TO
sustain which were destroyed by the war.
The old families need to have some Office
TO excuse them from doing nothing.
But the senator misses the real cause of
dissension in his party and the real danger
to its retention of power. The senator
probably secs the evil, but fears to state it.
The trouble lies in the suppression of all
healthy opposition. A democratic nomina-
ton has become in all of the southern states
equivalent to au election, oven in counties
and districts where the republicans, if votes
were freely cast and honestly counted,
would have overwhelming majorities. This
suppression of opposition was originally ac-
complished by force exercised by the very
scum of the poor whites. The elegant gen.
tlemen of the south of course did not sully
their hands by whipping and shooting ne
groes On the contrary, they were seldom
present OH such Oc casions, and frequently
took occasion to deplore the acts of rash
young men," But the rash young men saw
that the elegant gentlemen were ready to
absorb the offices gained by such loose
practices" The majorities suppressed by
violence have been kept down by the
milder but no less effective methods of So
cial and business ostracism OF have
been oblterated by the more genteel but
equally effective devices of the tissue ballot
and dishonest counting.
/, In Senator HILLS own state the maiori-
ties forthe republicans were SO great in one
f congressional district that it was unsafe for
f the chivalry to bulldoze and almost impos-
sible to count out the republican candidate
The difficulty was met in one county by abol-
, ishing all tho voting precincts except that
at the courthouse, where Of course resided
a relatively large number of whites Upon
election day the white democrats took easy
possession of the polls before tho opening
! by forming in line. BY a system of pre-
tended challenges the sun went down before
all the whites had voted, and even the few
hundreds of negroes who had been able to
reach the town were excluded entirely
from the ballot-box. Not one vote for the
republican candidate for congress in that
district was received at that box, although
the county had previously given him fifteen
/ hundred majority.
r AS long as such practices resulted in
f giving to the elegant gentlemen all the
r Offices they were pretty well satisfied but
I the men who did the work, who rode over the
districts at night, who welded the hiclories
G upon the stubborn negroes, and who shot
, down when necessary the leaders of the re-
f pubicans-these hard-workers at length
= have demanded a share in the profits, They
| want an officials They are no longer afraid
! of "nigger" getting one, and they do
4 not see that they gain much by electinq
elegant gentlemen year after year. II is
t among these dissatifed ones that the Sin
dependent" movements in the south
1 originate,
c The independents are no more liberal, as
i q general thing than are the regulars. Re.
s publicans can have little to hope from
G either, except in the direction of the disin,
v tegration of the opposition. Both factions
Y will, of course, seek eventually to enlist tho
y suppressed republican vote for their re-
spective candidates.
:, In this way something may be accom-
= plished in the way of protection to til,
O colored vote, and when a colored man il
n the south is able TO cast his vote unmoIestef
d and have it counted, step in advance vii
= be taken, even if he is reduced to O Hob
d SONS choice between two democrats.
d At the same time the south will gaiI
l. little. For if the truth is told, the indie
IS pendent is often the meaner of the two ii
10 point Of principle and intelligence. Ever,
y demngogue in the democratic party of tn
70 south is looking TO the negro vote as
10 means for his Advancement and whel
is the time comes, as it is surely coming
10 that the eoored vote Is absolutely com
y PEELED to abandon even semblance Of
g. republican organization, there are man
ID chances in favor Of its going TO tho dema
g. gogue who will be the most liberal in pres
Dr. ent and prospective fayors rather than /
D. tie more respectable and upright canddat,
The one who will stoop the lowest will wi
Is the most, just as the same kind of pol
At ticians win among the ignorant and dc
IN graded classes in our great northern cities
ID The day is not far distant when tn
as better elements in the south will see that