Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-05-13
A southern Professionals.

NVUuQll-@Js De bAnCkUuIus
A Southern Protectionist.
1t Ia something refreshing and yet
remarkAble to and . real genuine pro-
tectionIst member Of Congress In the
South, and especially in South CARROLL
M, the hot bed Of secession before the
war, and all that is disreputAble and
bad In opposing and multiplying the
constitutional amendments which were
intended TO secure equal rights to all.
We do not for . moment admit that
Mr.. Ttllman, for that 10 the gentleman
We refer TO, was ever honestly elected
TO Congress, for IL would be impossible
for any Democrat to be elected to Con-
gress from that State In an honest cleo
ton, but he 10 In Congress, and, how
ever he got there, he Is all the same Q
member.
Mr.. Tillman represents o very stroAg
Bourbon free trade district, but exhib.
its q wonderful breadth OF mind and
independence OF character when he
steps into the political arena rs q pro-
tectionist Of the radical type. When 1t
became known to his constituents that
he was opposed to any tinkerlng ut the
tariff and especially hostile 10 the Nor
rison reduction tariff bill, they held o
meeting and adopted resolutions en-
dorsing the Morrison Carlisle program
and forwarded them 70 Mr.. Tillman
with the expectation OF influencing his
action.
But Mr.. Tllman strikes back, and IN
n strong letter gives his reasons nc
length why he will mot and cannot not
with Morrison and Carlisle on the tar
ia Issue. His arguments are worthy
the utterAnce Of the most pronounced
protectionist Of the north. In his let
Ter he recounts the history OF tariff
struggles In the South and frankly ad-
mits that free trade was advocated in
the old South as . part Of the economy
OF slave labor. IL was not, he says,
deemed In the interest OF slavery TO en-
courage skilled labor. The slave belt,
he says, was strictly an agricultural
region, and 1t Was for the profit Of the
planter TO purchase every kind OF sup.
plies where they can be purchased the
cheapest, for the object Of reducing the
cost OF prod auctions In the South to the
lowest figure. The planter owned his
labor and OF course paid no wages.
The cost Of maintaining the slaves Was
very small, but the struggle was con
stantly to reduce still farther that small
cost.
Mr.. Tillman goes ON and recounts
the phenomena OF the struggle with
reference to Calhoun as the chief of the
1ras trade school and he frankly says
that South Carolina politics in the past
do not constitute . savory smell In the
nostrils OF even other Southern commu-
mites. The rejecting South regards le
rashness OF Calhoun and his school rs
the parent of all the woes that have
been Toured out upon the South, and
the South, says Mr.. Tillman, has no de
sire to follow the couusels OF South
Carolina politicians, but in fact regards
that quarter with grave distrust.
This Is remarkable stand for o
Southern Democrat from South CaIoli-
ma to take. If he were resident OF o
Northern State he would 60 right a,
first to the front OF the most liberal
and progressive statesmen of that sec
ton.
1t is to the new South that Mr.. Till
man turns his face-the new South
purified and rejuvinsted by the destruc
ton OF chattel slavery and Intent upoI
becoming great and powerful through
diversified interes's. He urges his con
stituents to let the past 60 and to lool
forward to the future. He sees tina
the North and West will no; con- sent Il
free trade, and counsels the South II
ut once accept the situation and Antago
nize no further the well grounded
policy Of the nation. With admirabl,
independence he regards his duty to
ward the entire country paramount b
local issues, and will not permit an,
utterance OF the free-trade school to in
huence his vote. He will not supper
any attack upon the tariff policy nov
In force, and, as he thinks, certain I
remain In force many years. No,
that cheap slave labor Is thing OF th
past, he cannot adopt @ policy whic
grew out OF q dead and buried institr
ton. The summing up OF Mr.. Til
mans letter is that he will not leglslA
for the South of Atty years ago, but Il
the South Of to-day. or course NJ
Tillmsn does not expect . re elecsio
but while he 10 In Congress he evident
chooses rather to be right than to
popular.