New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-29
S0rTHFRN CAMPAIGN.

In looking around for the ground upon when
IN contest the next Presidential campaign the
RepuhIcan party should not forget the need OF
doirg something to further the spread of It's
n,inciple. in tie South. Heretofore the party
has made its chef appeal to the North and has
neglected nearly one-half the States in the
Union. There has doubtless been just cause
for tbjs course in the past. The intolerance OF
the Bourbon leaders in many of the Southern
STATES. the fraud and violence which marked
elections there, and the necessity OF trusting
almost wholly to the cOOrcd voters, WHO had
vet to be trained to political duty, compelled
tbe Republicans virtually to abandon the
oround TO their oppuI ents. These conditions
are now, however, greatly changed III most OF
the Southern States and the time seems au-
spicious for making a new effort to build up a
new Republican party there from new material
and upon new basis.
Tins is not So hopeless n task as many doubt
less imagine it to be. While the Republicans
met with sore disaster in nearly every North
crn State last November, some uncX uected VIC
tories were won in the States of the South, and
especially in those once known Us the Border
States. The general wreck of Republican
gains and made the party Indifferent to them
When carefully studied, however, they offer
more encouragement for the growth OF liberal
princivles IN the South tlan the strained VIC
tories which marked the first decade after the
war. Kentucky has been known as typical
Bourbon State. as firmly wedded to the Dem
Ociatic party as Iowa Is TO the Republic lean.
And yet at the last Congressional election the
hitherto solidly Democratic delegation was
broken and the Republicans chose two mem
bers to the next House of Representatives.
This success was gained with little outside aid
and with the tide of success running strongly
with tie Democrats. With the legitimate AS
sistance given to every Republican candidate
for Congress in the North, and under mole
favorable conditions, stronger proofs of the
growth of Republican principles in Kentucky
would have been given. In West Virginia, too,
there are many indications of Advancement
Here also the Democrats saw an lnrOad made
upon their political preserves, and the State for
the first time in many years will have "A Repub-
lican Representative in Congress. a marked
increase in the party's strength in the Legisla-
ture resulted also at the same election. Other
States AS Maryland, North Carolina, Tenn
essee, Arkansas and Texas, in the elections Of
last fall gave evidence that they would yield
good returns to the right kind of efforts for
the propagation of Republican principles.
Another prOpitious sign in the South at the
present time is the growth OF al independent
spirit among its newspapers. 1t has been the
glory of the Republican party in the North that
lts principles were grounded liz the intelligence
of the people and that their dissemination was
due to the existence of an enlightened news
paper press. Where ignorance was the rule
and an intelligent public opinion unknown 1t
was considered no dishonOr thar the party
failed to make any progress. But with in
creased prosperity much of the narrOwness of
the Southern press has vanished and in It's place
have come greater independence and liberality.
To-day there is more honest and outspOken
criticism of the Democratic party and its
methods in the South than in the North. No
better evidence of the change made AMI still
going on there could be given than this fact
presents For a provincial newspaper neces-
sarily depends for its support upon and there
fore must reUresent-the public opinion of the
locality where ii Is published.
These facts then-the slow but sure increase
of Republican strength in the old Border States
and the liberal spirit exhibited in the Southern
press-shOw that the present is prOpitous
time for IeorganiLng the Republican party in
that section But at the beginning the danger
of repeating the mistakes which have marked
past efforts in this direction should be guarded
against The first attempt to foster the growth
of Republican principles in the South was with
the colored voters as the rank and file and poll
iticians from the North as leaders. This ex-
pedicnt was the outgrOWth OF period of war
and reconstruction, and was perhaps the pest
that the time and circumstances admitted. Ii
failed, as it must have sooner or later. 1t was
unnatural, having no solid basis of intelli-
gence and discipline upon which to rest. A
later attempt has been made 10y cOuntenancIng
Independent movements among the dissatisfied
white Democratic voters. There are move
ments of this character in the South worthy of
being fOstered which may form the basis for
safe political action. But the intelligent Re-
will form no alliance with. political monde
scripts or with any political combination
tainted with dishonesty. IL has Enthusiastically
expressed its disapproval of guerilla methods.
If Republlcanism is to make any advance in the
Southern half of the Union 1t must be by APP
pealng to the intelligence of tho people. The
period is passed when prejudice can be made
the basis Of. party action. Even the coloIed