The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-19
Canada and tho South.

Many think that an indirect result of i'm
portance that might come from the annex
alton of Canada would be the effect it would
be likely to have upon the political power of
the Solid South. The New York Sun, a
Democratic paper that belongs to the Randall
or distinctiyely northern wing Of the Demo-
cratic party contrasted with the free trade or
Southern wing, is of the opinion that the re-
suit OF the annexation of Canada "wonld be
the final and complete numerical oyerwhelm-
ing of the Solid South, IN tue sense in which
that term is understood, and the normal
healthy and rational development of the
South's local disagreements in politics."
Would this be so? Or would the prospect of
the aquisition of Canada hold out to the
South the hope of new alliances which would
enable it to maintain its power still
longer? There are not wanting signs at
present that the Solid South regards the
game as up, so far as the maintenance If
their grip on the government is concerned
On the fairest field 1t has contested for
quarter of century 1t has been over
whelmingly beaten. Not only that; it
now sees its opponents ready to entrench
themselves behind the impregnable barriers
of line of great Republican States in the
Northwest The Solid South as an effective
political factor seems to be gone This is the
way it appears to Northern eyes; and it
seems to appear so to many Southern eyes
also. And If the Solid South is broken it will
not matter much whether it keeps that solid
column of electoral votes or allows it to be
diminished by decrease of the basis of re-
presentation. There are signs that the
South is thinking of this. the Legislature
of South Carolina has taken steps to submit
a constitutional amendment making an
educational qualification pre- quisite of the
privileges Of suffrage. Undoubtedly this was
done with the full expectation HAT 1t would
decrease the basis Of representation, and
so diminish the number OF South Cardinals
Congressman and Electors. leading Dem
ocratic paper of Vicksburg. the hitterest city
in the bitterest State of the whnle South, has
advocated an educational qualification,
assuming In so doing that Mississippi
would lose in its representation.
All this shows that many Democrats in the
Solid South are convinced that the Gig is
up" so far as their section as dominant fac
tor In the National government is concerned
for no one will suppose for an instant that
the Southern States would give up any con-
gressmen and electors if they thought they
were likely to have any use for them Not
seeing any use for them they prefer to turn
to their local fields Of politics, where the sup
preston of the colored vote by unlawful
means is no doubt becoming more difficult
and perilous each year. Whether the pros
.aakN &c .
large electorate that might be Democratic to
a large extent, would confirm the South in
its intentions to abstain from endeavoring to
exert sectional influence in national poll
tics or would renew the hope of alliances
whereby the Solid South might triumph
again as it did in 1884, may well be consid-
cred problematical. So far as the question
Of the South is concerned we are doing very
well without any disturbing influence like
the discussion of the annexation of Canada.