The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-27
Craftsmanship Not Sectional.

I selves OH G0c SeItCllOu Vi MT. NdTuSle
for the Speakership of the House
They base their pretended hopes first
upon the fact that the Speaker
comes from the South, and second that
he represents tariff reform. The Re-
publican party. while it is wicked and
corrupt, is not an assemblage of fools,
and, while there NAV be, and doubt
less are, many foolish and stupid men
who put themselves forward as leaders,
the mass of voters in all sections of the
country are tolerably sensible people.
They know, if the leaders do not. that
the selection of Mr.. Carlisle for
Speaker is judiciOus, and secures pub
lie confidence. The Republican lead
erS are anxious to open the campaign
with the sectional cry of the ''bloody-
Shirt" and push it on by affrighting
the country with the notion that tariFt
reform means the destruction of Ameri-
can labor. In the first place, the Solid
South has nothing to do with the sue
cess of Mr.. Carlisle; for he was not
chosen because he came from the South,
but because he best represents the liy-
ing principles and issues of the Demo-
cratic party. He represents all that
the Democracy has been struggling for
since the wharf.-the right of the people
to conduct their domestic affairs, and
to enjoy the fruits of their labor free
from the officiouS intermeddling of
political adventurers, and the more
Odious tyranny of moneyed rings and
giant monopolies. The more sensible
mass of Republican voters who are as
much interested in good government as
our Democratic brethren, know tn at
the accident of birth or residence cuts
no figure in calculations which have
to do with the material interests of the
country, and know also that wise and
patriotic craftsmanship is just as likely
to come from man born south of Ma
son and Dixon's line rs one north of it,
and that it is not the locality which
makes the statesman, but the quality of
mind and the traits of character which
he possesses. Regarded in this light no
man has appeared in our National cOun-
ellis in many years who is the superior
of the one whom the Democratic party
has chosen as its legislative leader.
Can the geographical distinction so
affect the mind of statesman as to
condition his patriotism by the charac-
ter of his surroundings, or would the
man whose shining talents and sterling
qualities, as vouched for by friend and
foe alike, and whose exalted views of
public affairs are the theme of gen.
eral admiration, temper his zeal for the
public good and consider his duty to the
Nation only in so far as it might ad-
vance sectional interest? Does any
sensible man believe this, or can any
partisan prejudice sufficiently blind the
average judgment to accept such con-
clusiOn? There is nothing in Mr.. Car
isles history as a public man, or his
utterances anywhere, to lead to any be-
lief but that his elevation to a great and
responsible position will be accepted as
sacred trust-to do all that may be in
his power for the advancement of Ma
tional interests and the good of the
people with whom his interests are
identified. Republican leaders may
seek to deny all this in the natural de-
sire to prevent themselves from being
overcome by the wiser lessons of states
manship, which it may be Mr.. Carlisle's
happy privilege to teach, but the masses
who will be able by and by to read and
Judge for themselves, will not be easily
misled into belief which will do them
injustice.
The South is no more become the rul-
ing dominating power in Democratic
politics because of Mr. Carlisle's cleo
ton than it would have been had either
Mr.. Rainfall or Mr.. Cox been chosen.
All are Democrats and all strove as
earnestly for the support of Southern
t I;-1n on1
ton means simply a combination of cir
cumstances common to politics and full
ly illustrated in all political history.
But the Republicans will insist that
the selection means predominant South
ern influence in our politics, as if that
section were alien to the common in
terests of the Nation, and as if there was
something dreadful to be apprehended
if Southern men and Southern views
came to lie recognized in the theater of
National contest. Have the Southern
States no voice in our National affairs,
or shall that great section relinquiSh its
right to be heard because its people diff
fer with those of the North in their pO-
litical views? 1t is not chat any polite
al rights are denied them, but because
Republican from causes which are we'll
understood by all thinking people, that
the objection comes, and the bugbear
of a solid South with its meaningless
twaddle is constantly dragged in to do
campag On duty. The Democratic party
has its strength in the Soutl, there is
no denying this, but it is from no lack
of attention on the part of the Repub-
lican managers that it is SO, but rather
from their failure to make it otherwise.
They would not object to Southern
votes, nor Southern States if they could
have them; it is because the South
will not be bought or driven to Repub-
lican principles, so called, that the
South becomes an object of painful
sOlicitude to Republican hopes. All
this the voters of the North understand,
and they also understand that Mr.. Car
isles selection means very great and
important change in Democratic poll
tics, viz: that the day of temporizing
and fooling with living and vital issues
is past, and that hereafter the Demo
cratic flag will represent something and
mean something. The day of hiding
and Sinking behind imaginary dangers
. is over, and hencefOrth the Democratic
party will appeal to the whole country,
East, West, North and South, for sup
| port and give a reason for the faith
which is in them. Right methods have
at last triumphed. The party has. by
the election of Mr. Carlisle, put time
serving and cowardly fears away from
them and assumed an attitude which
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