The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-27
The " Solid South" Lie.

The charge that Mr. Carlisle's cleo
ton 10 the Speakership was due entire
" to the effort of ''Solid South and
/ the proper handling of the sectional
ISSUE" is as unsupported by fact, as it
lacks even decent ingenuity of malice.
No man in the history of Congress
ever received a more honest or a more
National election to the Speakership.
So far as a solid South" is concerned,
the expressions of public opinion as ev-
| idenced in the brilliant Kentuckian's
election has done more to lay the sec
tional ISSUE" which contemplate poll
ticians have kept alive on the stump
for selfish purposes, on the shelf
than anything that has happened since
the close of the civil war. 1t has alb
soluteiy deprived the cry of all possible
consistency even for the basest political
motives.
g Let us look at the figures, however,
in order that all may understand the
truth of our statements and the con-
temptible characters of those which the
originatorS of this charge make. Mr..
! Carlisle received as many votes from
tie Northern States as Mr.. Randall did,
and twice as many as Mr.. Cox, the
former two receiving thirty-two each.
! Mr.. Carlisle received votes from twenty
four States, from every geographical
! standpoint, while all of Mr.. Randall s
votes came from sixteen States, and
then but two from the great States of
! the West. In fact, had Mr.. Carlisle
not been supported by the votes OF
Eastern, Middle, Western and Pacific
States he would have fallen many votes
short of an election. The truth
of the matter is that Mr.. Carlisle
was National candidate, elected
because he was the embodiment OF
tariff reform which the necessities of
every section demand. As the Boston
Herald, an Independent paper, says
1.-The South is no more interested in
getting cheaper tools and farming uten-
sis, blankets and clothing. Iron and
steel, glass and crockery, than the
manufacturers of the North are in OBJ
! tanning cheaper raw materials, or than
our ship builders and merchants are in
al restoration of their lost commerce.
Mr.. Carlisle, q Kentuckian, holds sub
stantially the same views on the tariff
question as those advanced by Mr.. Cox,
New Yorker, Mr.. Holman, an Indi-
anian, and Mr. Morse, of our own State.
Revenue reform is not q sectional ques-
ton and cannot be made so. 1t Is a
question affecting the welfare of the
people everywhere, who are taxed I'M
necessarily to the extent of more than
800, 600. 900, under the tariff that was
increased thirty per cent to meet the
| cost of the war"
On the other hand, Mr.. Randall, the
most pronounced protectionist in the
Democratic party, himself received
twenty votes from the so-called "Solid
South" 1t was not a section of the
country that conspired against him, but
his own false position on a question
that threatened the welfare of so, 0O0,-
OO0 of people lost him the Speakership.
This is shown by the fact that, despite
his splendid record as former Speaker
of Congress, despite his firmness in re-
ducing the expenditures at a time when
it was found necessary, and despite his
honorable services TO his party at all
times, every section of the entire cOun-
try, as represented by the congressman
elect. saw the necessity of leaving these
things out of their calculations and do.
ing what was plainly their duty. There
was nothing sectional about Mr.. Car
isle selection nor will there be any
thing sectional about the Democratic
reforms which lie will institute. He
'was chosen in spite of his Southern
residence, rather than by reason of it, u
as the Boston Herald says. His cleo
ton was triumph for Democratic prin-
ciples wherever the Democratic party
exists. The '.Solid South" charge is 8
lie, and those bringing it forward know
it to be so.-NeaO HuUen Register.