Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-08
SOLID SOUTH.
The Chances Good Of Its Remaining 80 for Long
Time Ia Come.

The Chances Good of Its Remaining 80 for Long
Time TO Come.
NEW YORK, Special to Pioneer Press:
On the Sth of May, the New York Times
addressed the following questions to
1000 persons in the Southern States.
First-ls the policy of the Democratic
party managers in harmony with the
general sentiment of the people of your
district? If that policy excites any dis
satisfaction, is it chiefly directed against
the principles or the persons sustained
by the party leaders?
Second-How do your people regard
the administration of President Arthur?
Thirds there in your neighborhood
any decided expression of opinion in re-
gard to the TARIFF IL so, what is its ex-
tent and naturea
These inquiries were sent to the edi-
tors of Democratic newspapers at
county seats of counties distributed over
all sections of the South. The large
cities were carefully avoided, as it was
deemed best to obtain the information
desired as nearly as possible from the
masses of the people themselves. In
answer to he above questions the Times
has received 800 letters. The States of
Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee were
not canvassed for opinions. The Times,
in summarizing the replies, says, regard
ing the deductions to be drawn from
those relating to the first question, that
the South is Still solid in its utilization
with the Democratic party may be laid
down as absolutely certain by these OBJ
servations. On all natural questions the
people are unit. Perhaps one-fourth
of the letters speak of dissatisfaction with
the methods of the leaders, but the writ
ers are careful to state that the people
are in full harmony with party principles
and will forget all local differences in de-
Tending them. Another point strongly
shown is the utter vanity of believing in
the strength of any Independent move
ment which would threaten the supre-
macy of the Democratic party. One
prominent thought in all the responses
to this question is the desire manifested
by the masses Tor an improvement in
material affairs. As TO the second ques-
ton the Times says the administration
of President Arthur has the disadvan-
tage of following the brief incumbency
of Gen. Garfield In all the letters the
references to the hopes of the South
from the Garfield administration seem
like wall. The people have, however,
trusted that President Arthur would
carry out the policy of his predecessor,
but disappointment has followed. and
more than half the letters speak of him
as narrow, seeking only the interests of
his party. A South Carolina letter says
the people hoped for continuation of
Gartields policy, but President Arthur
abandoned it for policy as contemplate
as the other was statesmanlike." "As
one marked by the most ultra party ma
Lightly" "a dire national calamity" is
another comment. A Texas man says,
HE is regarded as the exponent of the
spoils system. The appointments to
office in the South are a great cause of
dissatisfaction. and are regarded as
showing that Mr.. Arthur is not friendly
disposed As to the replies to the third
question the following deductions are
drawn: With one or two exceptions
little discussion of the tariff is reported
among the people. Many writers say
the question is not understood by the
masses. The truth appears to be that
they are too busy to take any interest in
the matter, and being chiefly agricultur-
lists the subject naturally attracts much
less attention than in other sections of
the country. Take the South, as whole
it may be said to favor tariff which will
be sufficient only to meet the needs of
the government and which does not in
tend to build up monopolies.