The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-01
BAD IMITAToRs OF THE BAD.

cesSlOn ana war. Ine people OF the OOutn,
listening to but one side of the issue, imag
ined true all that was told them by their
friends" It was useless to attempt to argue
the question. If the North did not like the
| conclusion that the South had reached, it
could make the best Of it in any manner it
saw ft The Southern braggart was confident
that the average Southron could whip not less
than five Northern men, and even when the
business of war was fairly begun the Union
troops were ridiculed as SO many counter
jumpers" who could not possibly stand the
fatigues of the campaign. The war was rushed
upon the country by Southern politicians, who
were confident that the North would not fight
| if the South would but put on bold front.
In this belief thousands and tens Of thousands
of Southern men were hustled into civil war.
The North had no taste for the struggle that
it realized would ensue, but it could not avoid
the issue of arms without seeing the country
divided. The conflict came, and with what
bloody results are matters of history. The
one Southron entrenched behind breastworks
did not whip five Northern men, but the fight
was fierce and desperate one from beginning
to close It all might have been avoided had
the South chosen to listen to reason instead of
passion. 1t had no patience with anybody
that did not side with it; would listen to no
argument nor brook any delay. The men of
the North saw from the first that the conflict
would be one of fearful proportions, but never
for a minute did it appear that
the outcome was in doubt. The
| men, and means, and the determination
were at hand to do the work of saving this Re-
public from disruption. Numberless appeals
had been made to the South not to embark in
war. These availed nothing, for the reason
that the South would not for moment think
of anything that was not fattering to it. If
any man had praise for Southern valor, as
compared with that of the North, he was
heard with pleasure, and tie business of bull
lying the people was proceeded with without
the possibility of obtaining respectful hear
ing for any other side Of the momentous ques-
ton. The North saw Appomattox in the
early days of 1861, when the South refused to
see anything
There was an intense desire to show the
strength of the South. Southern valor had
been dinned into Southern ears until it was
but natural that Southern men should come
to believe that they were something better
than their fellows of the North. They were
anxious to demonstrate that they could para
lyze the Nation at a word, and their surprise
and chagrin may be imagined when they came
contend against; men just as intent on sue
cess and just as thoroughly imbued with the
| belief that they were in the right. We do
not question that the Southern soldier was
| brave and daring; nor that he made himself
| think he was in the right But that did not
save him, nor did it prove that he was in the
right. Could the South have seen the future
as it was seen by men who were not mad on the
subject of States rights, it is reasonably
not have been entered into, and the country
would have been spared the expense of de-
vastating war But from the election day OF
November, 1860, forward the South had no
patience with any one who was not willing to
talk rebellion. 1t listened so long and so en-
! Enthusiastically to one side of the issue that it
came to believe there was no other side. The
war of the Rebellion was the result.
There is now another body of men initiating
| the South of quarter of century ago. They
are proud of their organized strength, and are
anxious in many instances to show it. They
are power in the land, az everybody in the
country is willing to admit. AS the question
now is they are able to suddenly stop the
business of the country, and the temptation
j is to do it on very slight proyocation. 1t feels
the strength of giant, and giant-like is i'm
PEELED to exercise it. 1t is to be regretted
that it has shown disposition to listen to but
one side of the great industrial question. The
only possible way to curry favor with it is to
fatter it, and to denounce all who do not see
as it does The man who denounces capital
as robber without the right to place in the
machinery of the government is the man who
will stand in favor with its members. Those
who dare to speak what they believe to be the
truth and for the best of all concerned are
generally denounced as the enemy of the
workingnan, while the demagogue and trick
ster is welcomed with open arms. This is the
folly of madness for in the end the truth must
obtain. If organized labor were to strangle