Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-22
Bourbon Rule" and the Radical
Revival.

Northern Journals mig the changes on
the depressing effects of what they call
''Bourbonism" in the South, and affect
to see in the triumph of Mahoneism the
promise of transformation south of the
Potomac that could never be realized
under Democratic auspices. The alb
surdity of these Radical prophecies is
manifest The recuperation of the South
from the waste of war and the wholesale
plundering of carpet-bagism contradicts
the start. When one recalls that the
South lost in accumulated capital an ag-
gregate far in excess of the total national
debt incurred by the war, and was sad
died with millions of debt by the early
apostles Of Radicalism, he needs not to
be furnished with arguments to show
the benefit she reaped when the Radical
party ceased to be a power in her Dor
ders.
The resistance of the South to the
combined resources of the North, aided
by the Golfers and hordes of the world,
is one of the grandest spectacles in the
realms of history, but equally as grand
is the progress she has made in the past
ten years. Not to speak of Georgia,
whose possibilities are second to those
of no State in the Union, and whose
government is as honestly and cheaply
conducted as that of any American COM
monwealth, Virginia, which was sim
gled out for the trial of Radical redemp-
ton, is far from needing the assistance
that is offered her. Had Pennsylvania
or New York been subjected to the trials
she underwent, and been robbed of their
substance and despolled Of their richest
territory, it may be questioned whether
they would have made the showing she
makes to-day.
II the coalition in Virginia is an honest
one, the whites must deal fairly with
their negro allies, and give them a share
in shaping legislation. Will such legis
lation attract capital or immigration
The conditions for the trial of the Ma
hone plan do not exist elsewhere in the
South save, perhaps. in Tennessee, and
if it succeeds there the State will have
cause to curse the hour when she yielded
to the place hunters, and threw away
the props that sustained her. The ne
groes have their spheres of usefulness,
but when they become the tools OF those
who strive for mere place and momen-
tary profit, they are useless to them
selves and to those who have the highest
stake in the social fabric. Outside of
the negro population there are few
honest Republicans within the Southern
borders, and there is no reason why an
intelligent negro should be welded to
Radicalism.
The whole movement appears like
another crusade against Southern pros
perity. The shrewd business men Of the
North are and have been well content
with Bourbon" rule The South was
never so prosperous as she has been since
her solidity began. Capital has poured
in at a surprising rate, and if she is left
to herself for ten years her future will be
beyond the control Of politicians. The
South to-day needs only to be allowed
continuance of the repose she has en-
ioyed for the past four years. Malone
ism, independentism and Radical prose
lyting in every form will have depress
ing effect, and if the Southern people are
wise they will pay no heed to Radical
promises.
If the people of the North wish to
benefit the South and themselves, let
them meet her on the plane of brother
hood. There are politicians enough, but
there are millions of acres and thousands
of mill-sites waiting for the pillow and the
capitalist. If such agencies will beget
diversity of sentiment, there will be rea-
son for the change. But efforts of the
administration, by doles of patronage, to
create discord snd rancor, will work
only harm to the South and react upon
the North.