The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-10
A SOUTHERN CAMPAIGN.

to say what shall be done with the Southern
States in the approaching campaign, whether
the Republicans of the South shall be left to
their own futile resources, or an organized
canvass shall be made in the States that are
fairly Republican in sentiment or could easily
be made so. In view of political possibilities,
of consistency, and Of the not very remote
future, it would seem imperative that an
active canvass of that portion of the Union
be made in behalf of the interests and princi-
pies of the Republican party. 1t can
not be logically nor truthfully denied
that with the lapse of time the South
in all its interests is growing more in con-
sonance with the spirit and policy Of the
Republican party. Northern capital, literally
by the millions. is going into that region to
develop natural resources and to encourage
manufacturers Under the stimulating indu-
ence of enterprise, eastern Louisiana and
northern Alabama have become important in
the manufacture of iron, and the industry is
yet new to that region. All over Georgia
cotton mills are springing up, already fairly
rivaling those of Massachusetts,. The South
is beginning to bid for the trade of the
world. With the deadwall of slavery thrown
down, there are no longer any barriers of
prejudice or pride to impede trade, The
South has grown wise enough to invite it.
The Atlanta cotton exposition was the first
formal invitation for outsiders to come III and
view the land, to see what it could produce
and what it had to sell. Closely following
came the industrial show at Louisville, where
the products of North and South and the men
and manufacturers of North and South met in
competition, to their mutual advantage. Next
comes the worlds exposition at New Orleans,
for which almost unprecedented prepa-
rations are being made and at
which the worlds progress will
be fully set forth. The South is rising in its
renaissance. From the petty pageantry of
Mardi Gras mummeries it is advancing to the
splendid panorama of The indus
tries that have for years been typifed in
tableau cars are crystallizing into realities, and
the MISUNDERSTOOD prophecies of former years
are being realized. All this is in direct line
toward the Republican party, as the patron of
industry and the conservator of commerce.
This metamorphosis of the South is traceable
wholly to the wise legislation of the party i'll
power during the past twenty-three years.
The South is prosperous because Democratic
ideas have been abandoned and Republican
ideas have been adopted. The like was
never known, never possible under
former administrations, and is as much
the outcome of Republican legislation as the
freeing of slaves was the result of the enamel
patton proclamation and the war.
The thousands of Southern men-operators
and operatives-now finding occupation in
these new industries must naturally turn to
the party that made them possible and fos-
tered them into vigorous existence. The Dem
ocratic dogma Of free trade, ever hostile to
American progress, dare not be put to the
test before the growing industries of the
South, and, if it ever shall be, the issue will
not be doubtful. An active Republican can
vass in the South, especially in the States
of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North Caro-
lima and Virginia is imperative. Let the peo-
pie of those portions of the country be fully
instructed in the principles of the party. The
years are few until the ideas of Republicanism
must prevail there in politics as well as in
business. If the Democratic party should
dare to push its free-trade theories to the test
of trial, the new industrial South must nat
urally and unavoidably turn to the Republican
party in self defense. There is now absolutely
nothing to prevent the better elements of
Southern society from uniting their fortunes
with the Republican party, in the full assur-
ance that their every vital interest will be
as faithfully conserved as are those of any
other section Of the country. The principles
of Republicanism, under which the North has
made such wonderful progress in trade and
manufactures, and which have put the leaven
of industrial enterprise into the South, are
universally applicable, and with like happy
effects, wherever put into practice.
There need be no 'bloody shirt" in this
issue. The men delegated to the work of ex-
pounding the doctrine of political regeneration
can confidently appeal to the culture and in
t~elligence of the South; to the men who have
so far forgotten their ante bellum preiu-
dices as to see in labor a dig
nifty and independence strangers to