The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-05-20
V VANDERBILT [ NIVERSTTY.

dcucy, many thoughtful SOuthernerS Sc
crcty rejoiced The mistakes and the
bIunders Of their party leaders had been
TOO many and too great Permanent sue
for Hancock 5 defeat. There was still au
abiding conviction that their own party
was incapable Of wisely directing National
affairs. Enough of them had begun to
take part in the newly awakened CONNER
ciaI and educational activity to form a
new south. This new South most earnestly
desired peace and quiet and progress. Po-
litical ascendancy was foreign to their
purposes. Even at the last election many
ife-long Democrats in Tennessee voted for
Mr.. Blaine, because they thought the cleo
ton of Mr.. Cleveland would be the signal
for general scramble for office and a kill
lng frost to budding industries. On all great
National questions civil service reform,
the tariff, silver coinage, etc, the party
was at war with itself. To thoughtful
men the cry of 'turn the rascals OUT was
an attempt "to catch the nearest way
IN appeal to baser instincts rather than
10 right principles Added to this, in
Tennessee there was widespread distrust
Of the party i'll power in consequence OF
which the Republicans on one vital ques
ton carried the State. On all questions
the Democrats, though it was National
election, lost more than 90, 900 votes.
But soon after Mr.. Cleveland's inaugu-
ration confidence was regained. The peo-
pie at large cared naught for the offices.
But they were delighted to see Demo
cratic President take charge of affairs SO
quietly and so dexterously that they We're
not conscious of more than a mere change
Of Administration. For time his civil
service policy was openly sneered at by
some leading party organs. An occasional
- hf, Il nnr
dog that wants a bone. Some members
of Congress from this State do not hesitate
TO express their discomfort and dssatis-
action But the people are Enthusiastically
Do the Presidents side. Now the chief
Newspapers of the State vie with each
other in singing his praises. ''The Presl-
dents patriotic conservatism in the mat
ter of places and placement, is common
Plrase of the daily press There is now
throughout the State a real confidence IN
lis ability and the greatest respect for his
nanliness and wisdom. And his appoin-
tes are helping him carry out his policy
DIsmlSSalS for any cause are seldom heard
Of That some of the Democratic party
beaders are now strcnuOusly working for
the repeal Of the civil service law only
Shows that the peoples distrust of them
Eas well founded. OF the President there
Is no diStrust.
4 The temperance question, some predict,
Mill very soon break up party lines in this
State and at the same time Obllterate the
8color line This subject is little talked Of
stnd to all outward appearance little
Thought of by the politicians; but with the
xbeSt people of the State it is already the
8burning question. In fact only moral and
3educational questions and economic poll
Hcies will at the present time arouse the
Hpeople of Tennessee to any great fervor.
Sentimental politics they are heartily tired
of. The election of Democratic Presi-
3 dent has done much to extend the national
4 feeling in Tennessee. Both parties now
feel that they have equal rights in the
y government But business interests are
Il doing quite as much. Commerce knows
no State lines. The merchants of Nash
D vile have as great desere to sell in the
North west as in the Southwest, and the
phenomenal growth of this city in the last
8 five years is sufficient evidence of the new
order of things in Tennessee. Since the
1 war Nashville has increased in population
from %, 900 to so, 600 inhabitants. In 1860
it had hardware trade of $40, 900, in 1885,
o. So 900, 900. In the different schools
there are said to be about $4,000 pupils.
Here on this common ground, which is
thoroughly national, meet the Bourbon
Democrat of West Tennessee and Radical
Republican of East Tennessee. Thus they
are brought into direct contact and asso-
citation with the many energetic, large
minded men who are managing these vari-
ed interests. The result is, think no State
in the Union can claim a more general,
independent National feeling.
This state of affairs has already had a
d marked influence upon the negroes. Five
wears of experience and fourteen years of
observation lead me to conclude that we
q know of no class of labOrerS in the South
Il who work 50 persistently as the negroes.
s. 1t is the very best labor that can ever be
secured for the South. They lose fewer
u days in the year, require less attention, dc
more work with less supervision, than the
white farm laborers of the North, and
Withal they are more easily satisfied, are
a better humored and demand less In pol
q Itics the negroes will not readily leave the
u Republican party. But Mr. Cleveland's Ad-
mnistration has inspired them to a great
extent with confidence in the Democratic
Il party. To them that party is not now the
e embodiment of hostility to their intellect
81 ual and social advancement. In small
Il numbers they vote with the Democrats.
"a In municipal elections they work against
8 each other unhesitatingly The Prohibi
III tionists are expecting hearty cooperation
d from them Those who understand the
d situation well think that in less than fiftee1
81 Years the color line will be obliterated ii
"a politics.
Socially the negro is slowly, but steadily
# progressing. The schools have in twenty
Oh years done wonders. The negro's beset
~ ting sins -thriftlessness, lying, stealing
and especially unchasity-are hard to roo
out But there is almost universal con
sciousness on the part of the race that il
N Is improving. And no observant white
# man-however much a reactionary may
# deny twill refuse to believe this. Bu
~ this social advance is strictly on race line:
IL Tennessee. Socially the two races ge
further apart every year. though there il
growing tendency on the part of native
Southerners to help the negros In ever.
way IN his own upbuilding. But unless
the christian people are very watchful
the politicians will be more truly helpful
10 the negro One wing of the Democratic
party IN Tennessee is openly bidding fo
The negro. That gotten, much more vii
81 follow. w. NJ. BASKERvILL.
copyright 1886.