The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-10
NO SEcTIoNALISM WANTED.

NO SECTIONALISM WANTED.
An Interchange of Northern and Southern
Political Speakers Advocated.
The Graphic said some days since
that the Democratic party did not de-
sire solid South any more than it did
a solid North, and that it would be q
| good thing for the country if all man,
ner of sectionaltm might be broken up
with the end in view of new deal in
partisan differences, with new indus
trial and commercial interests as the
main issues, the Democratic party to
which belongs to it. The Boston Herald,
evidently having in view the reform in
Dictated by the Graphic, recently pre-
sented these questions to several South
ern Governors:
/. Upon what issue and BY what means can
the white voters of the South be divided into
two parties. separated by opinions and inter
ests, as at the North?
2. Would an interchange of political speak.
ers OF both parties between the North and the
South be acceptable to your State in future
campaigns?
3. Do you consider that the negro voters are
more indifferent than formerly to the suffrage,
and are they disposed TO disregard the color
line in voting?
4. What is the greatest existing objection to
q break in what is called the solid South?
Governor Knott, of Kentucky, re-
plies at length. He says the white
voters OF the South are already divided
into two parties, separated by opinions
and interests, as at the North, and he
gives each party the credit of honest
convictions. He believes an exchange
of political speakers of both parties be-
tween the North and the South would
be productive of good, and he says
that if the Northern speakers attempted
to resurrect the buried issues of the
war they would be treated with de-
rision or silent contempt, nothing
more" He knows Of no such thing
as the ''color line" in the politics of
Kentucky, except in the Republican
party. The negroes constitute the
great part of that party in Kentucky;
but he knows of but one instance in
which negro has been elected to an
office, even in localities where there
are large Republican majorities, and
not one in which a negro candidate re-
ceives the full white vote of his party.
There may be some dissatisfaction
among them growing out of this fact,
and there are some of them who vote
the Democratic ticket" he adds, "but
l can not say that they are more in
different to the suffrage than formerly"
He believes the South is solid for De-
mocracy because it believes Democracy
is right. IF, however" he adds, ''by
the term solid South you would init
mate that the Democratic white voters
of that section are united for any pur-
pose whatever inconsistent with the
maintenance of the Union, the defence
of constitutional liberty, the promotion
of domestic tranquility and the adj
vancement of popular prosperity, you
are mistaken. There is no such thing.
The term is mere mischievous catch.
word"
Governor Perry, of Florida, says
frankly that the South can not be Si-
vided upon any issue which would
threaten resumption of the carpet
bag rule which it has escaped; that
Northern speakers will be welcomed,
but the preachers of sectional hate and
bitterness will find no more Truthful
field in Florida than in New York; that
the blacks are naturally more indiffer-
ent to the suffrage because they have
learned that one party will treat them
as fairly as the other and voting of it.
self constitutes no extraordinary adj
vance, but Notwithstanding the indif-
ference even the timid are throwing of
the political bondage coming to some
extent from persecution by their own
race, and that, finally, the South OBJ
jects most of all to ''that theory OF
Government under which the surest
passport to Federal position in the
South was the bitterest hostility to heI
people"
Governor-elect Lee, of Virginia, says
the solidity of the white vote of the
South is the result of the false recon.
struction policy of the Republican party
after the war; that the white people Of
the South will not practically divide
until the colored people do, land these
latter will not divide as long as the few
whites acting with them are sustained
by the National Republican party's
promises of office and regard" that an
exchange of speakers would be good
thing; that the blacks are more dis.
posed to disregard the color line in vot.
ing, and that the great objection to q
break in the solid South is '.the fnal
that the State Government will return
to the condition of things existing un.
der the scallawag and carpet-bag Gov.
ernments, and from which the Dem0c.
racy rescued them"
Governor Hughes, of Arkansas, re-
marks: ''Let us have peace" and adds:
1.-The South is ready to meet the North
in spirit of fairness and fraternity,
and strike hands for the general good
of the country and to let the sectional
issues be buried forever; and. this &C.
complished, there is no solid South"
1t will be observed that the fear OF
the solid South has to do with posi-.
BILE restoration of a carpet-bag rule,
which it shrinks from as would the
people of this city shrink from a re-
sumption of the British rule of hun.
dred years ago; that the feeling of the
South in behalf of the Union is intense
to the point of almost any sacrifice;
that the blacks of the South are break.
ing away from their political bondage.
having come to learn that the suffrage
does not necessarily involve official pre-
ferment or any impossible thing, and
finally that the solidity of the South car
be broken only through new and legiti.
mate issues. The questions and the re-
sponses have their significance as the
possible beginning of the new Political