The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-31
LIGHT IN DARK PLACES.

Dlf. WaUIefSon incorporate Jlrdue against
him and the doctrine he seeks to proclaim to
the people of that region. The South is now
in its period of transition, from the old to the
new. Indications are that the South is on the
point of dissolving its ancient solidity, that
the ice Of sectional prejudice is beginning to
thaw under the warming influence of COM
munity of interests The Atlanta of to-day,
the Chattanooga and Birmingham, and a
dozen or more such cities of thrift and enter
prise, have been quickened and built mp un-
der the incentive given by the Republican
policy of protection, and are no more like the
Southern towns of before the war than an
Ashantee village is like live Amer
lean city. A change has come over
the spirit of the Souths dream; or,
its long dream of dolce far niente is at an end.
The slothfulness that always attends human
slavery is giving way to the energy character
istic of the North. Prejudice barred out from
the South the South's best friends. If now
the life-giving principles of Republicanism-
which have done so much for the North, and
would have done even more, proportionately,
for the South had it been permitted-are to be
at last carried into and throughout the South
by Democrat 1t is well enough, perhaps,
and it is not to be wondered at that Mr. Wat
terson should writhe under the torture thus
inflicted Mr.. Randall is going into the
South, and is going to be heard by the new
South. If his doctrines are those of Repub-
licanism 80 much the worse for Democracy.
The solid South cannot always hold out
against the logic of the inevitable. The sue
cess of the Democratic party in the last election
must compel the South to talk of something
else than keeping the South solid. With the
Democratic party responsible for the conduct
of public affairs, the South will naturally en-
deavor to improve on Democratic methods.
This will be specially true if the Democratic
icy of the country. Tho inevitable paralysis
of business and still further reduction of
wages would set the new South to thinking
seriously, and the result would be to free it
from its cast-iron prejudice
Mr. Randatl's visit through the South is an
omen of good results. That leading and in
fuential Democrat has the courage to defy
the few self-appointed whippers-in of his par
ty, and to not only believe in sound business
principles, but to go forth to proclaim them,
betokens the delivery of the Democratic solid
South from the thraldom of partisan preju-
dice The business interests of Ten
nessee, Georgia and Alabama are ex-
actly the same as those of Penn
sylvania and Ohio, and what is healthful
for those great States is excellent for all If
in that region to the fact that it is incompar-
ably better and wiser to build up manufact
ures than to whip threaten and murder in
order to the promotion Of any party to polit
ical ascendency his mission will not have
been in vain 1t was a great triumph for
him at Louisville. Despite the inhospitable
attempt to keep him away, he not only went
there, but was received with evident favor.
If 30 much success in Kentucky-a State
petrifed in political ignorance and illiberality
what may not be expected in Tennessee,
and in those portions of Georgia and Alabama
where shotguns are not more popular than
looms9 The men who own the iron mills at
Chattanooga and Birmingham, the cotton mills
at Atlanta and elsewhere, and the hundreds
and thousands of men and women who have
found employment in them, will welcome the
man of ideas, coming as he does from State
rich because of its manufactures, and despite
impressed with the idea of the inevitable out
come of Mr. Randall's missionary tour, would
fain keep him out of the sacred confines of the
South but he cannot The Louisville expo
sition, supplemented and surpassed now by
the great industrial exposition at New Orleans
has only helped pave the way for the deliver
ance of the South. The Democratic party
can no longer count ON its solidity unless it
serves It's interests. The margin in Tennessee
is already uncomfortably narrow. Four years
from now it will be wiped out if the Demo
cratic party is ruled by men like Watterson
Hurd Carlisle and Morrison. Mr. Randall is
on his way to put the handwriting on the
wall. ....l.-
Mr. RANnAII,S safe and triumphant tour