Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-22
Senator George. Plain Talk.

senator Georges Plain IaIk'
Senator George, of Mississippi, has a
well-esrned reputation for strong com.
mon sense. He is not brilliant man, and
does not seek to make himself conepieu-
GUS in the Senate. Il is noticeable, how
ever, that his speeches in that body,
and he does not speak often, always
attract attention and excite comment.
A few days ago he made a speech at
Bay st. Louis, Miss, in which he took
occasion to refer to the element in the
Democratic party that is striving to ex-
cite feeling Of hostility within the party
to the President. He warned the people
OF the South Of the danger OF doing any
thing calculated TO create dissensions in
the Democratic party. Discussions, he
said, would weaken the party anu open
the way for the rstUrn OF the Repub lican
party to power.
The point 10 which Senator George
called particular attention, was the issue
on which the Ohio campaign was con-
Quoted and won by the Republicans.
That issue was that the negroes at the
South are prevented from voting, and,
hence, the South should be deprived OF
| representation in Congress to the extent
OF her negro population. That issue, hay-
ing answered so well in Ohio, may be
made a national issue by the Republican
party IN 1888. That party il prepared to
go to any length TO regain and retain con-
troll Of the government. II would have
no besitaticn whatever in denying, il it
had the power, equal representation in
| Congress to the south. Indeed. il is not
Inc probable that the purpose Of Senator
! Sherman and other leaders is to weaken
! the Influence and power of the South in
the way suggested.
Senator George called particular atten-
sion to the fact that the West is growing
with wonderful rspidity. Its Increase in
population from European immigration,
aside from the natural increase. lie very
great. Dakota will soon be admitted to
the Union, and Montana, Idaho, Wyo-
ming and Washington will soon follow
her. The South is growing, but her gro With
is much slower than that Of the North,
because 1t is chiefly from natural causes.
Every year the difference between the
wealth and power Of the North and the
South becomes greater. Unless new is
sues arise the new States viii, doubtless. /
be Republican. There is a chance, there |
fore, that the Republican party may be in |
position at no very distant period to
carry out the programme which the Ohio |
leaders OF that party discussed so boldly !
in the late campaign in that State, viz |
to weaken the South by cutting down
her representation in Congress.
"UndeT these circumstances" said |
Senator George, "when there stands
nothing between US and the strong arm
of sectional majority but the Demo- I
cratic party and the President, will you /
attempt to cripple that President and /
party? [ know that when l stand by the |
President ! stand by you, and assist in /
Strengthening barrier against sectional /
persecution, which will overrun this
country unless defeated by the Demo-
cratic party"
Notwithstanding the Importance of
Strengthening the Democratic party. there
are Democrats, even IN the South, who
are willing to weaken it by making war
on the President because he does not
satisfy them with regard to the disposition
OF the Offices. Are these Democrats
friends OF the South? 1t may be safely
said that they don't care so much about
the South as they do about their own
interests. They are not, therefore, safe
men TO follow.
There is every reason to think that the
President has the good of the whole cOun-
try at heart, and as he believes that the
good of the country demands the ascen-
dency Of the Democratic party, he will do
all he can, consistently with his great
Office, to promote the interests of that
party.
The campaign in Ohio has demonstrated
pretty clearly that the triumph Of the
Democratic party last fall did not destroy
the sectional spirit at the North. That
spirit still exists, and it is the evident
purpose of the Republican party to
strengthen il. The Democratic part,
must hold it in check, and TO do that il
must have the hearty support of all its
members.