The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-30
STATESMEN FROM wAYBAcK.
Men Who are Usually Called Hayseed-
ers and Backwoods Senators.
ha Man Xari-

| from the new YORK Graphic
The great cities Of this country have
never furnished the wise, reflective and
penetrating craftsmanship which has made
this nation greatand prosperous and guided
into safe and salutary ways. The average
reader Of the able and enterprising jour
nails that reflect public sentiment in the
centers of population throughout the
States will doubtless smile at this assertion
Tor tendency has grown up of late to
sheer at the class Of men who have been
dubbed as Crossroads politicians" "rural
sages" and "turnip representatives.
This tendency is indicative both OF mex
cusable ignorance and foolish prejudice.
The history Of this country for 100 years
and more has been made and glorified
rather by men from the rural districts than
by those who have had their origin and
home in the cities OF the land, and IL is en-
tirely probable that the historian who may
compile the data for this nations future
will not be called upon 10 change this rec
ord.
The proportion Of statesmen OF ability in
Congress has always been overwhelmingly
in favor Of the country districts. This was
true in the first years Of our struggles for
national existence, it continued down
through the days OF our progress, and is
equally true now.
Let us see II history bears out this state.
ment.
Look back for century through the
records OF the continental Congress, the
national constitutional convention, the
war for independence.and the later years
OF the country's life. How many states
men pre-em.nent in ability and magnif-
cent in their attainments and success have
the populous cities given to this land? OF
the great soldiers whose names are men,
orized in storied marble or massive bronze
and held cherished in the hearts OF mill
ions OF their countrymen, how many came
from the crowded centors Of population?
You can count them almost on your
fingers.
San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Or
leans and Brooklyn have not single name
on the roll Of their history that could lay
claim TO great craftsmanship. Philadel-
phia is old enough TO have sent forth at
least one man fully equipped in all that
goes 10 make up leader OF men. Yet all
she can truly lay claim TO is n sort OF half
|
well founded claim that Henry Clay and a
dozen other renowned men have OCCASION
ally bought their clothes there. Even
sam Randall does not belong TO her, for
he lives on farm twenty miles out OF that
city.
New York city has not had much to
boast Of. Alexander Hamilton, whom
most people imagine was n native OF the
town, was born in the West Indies, and
Burr and Livingstone would about COM
plete her list. The present generation OF
statesmen has no very great names TO add
TO New York's roll. Sam Cox, one OF tie
deseryedly conspicuous figures on the floor
OF the House OF Representatives, belongs
to her only by right OF adoption, and is an
original Ohio ruralist.
Boston gave the country Charles Sum-
ner, and shared with Philadelphia the
credit OF producing and maintaining Ben
Franklin. But the world has not been
electrified by the doings OF any other great
men that the cultured New England city
has produced within the memory OF this
or the past generation.
She cannot lay claim 10 Webster or any
Of the Adamses, for the country districts
OF Massachusetts produced them and gave
them 10 the country. The same thing il
true OF Thaddeus Stevens, jeremiah Black,
James Buchanan and Simon Cameron, who
were vcritable "haysecd" Pcnnsylyanians
and not Philadelphians.
William l.. Marcy, Silas Wright, the
Van Burens, Iloratio Seymour, William
II. Seward, Roscoe Conkling and the other
men who have made history for the nation
belonged in their days Of staiesmanship TO
:he interior districts Of the State and not
TO Manhattan island. Abraham Lincoln
and Stephen A. Douglas were both sent TO
the front by rural constituencies, and be-
fore their time tho same could be truly
said about Henry Clay, Lewis Cas-, the
Randolphs, Madison, Monroe, jefferson,
and the long list Of old timed statesmen.
Bluff old Ben Wade, Oliver T. Morton,
Jefferson Davis, Henry Wilson, Andrew
johnson, Allan q. Thurman, and 100
other names that will occur TO the intclli.
gent rcader-not one Of them was the
product Of q great city.
Perhaps this may be called ancient his
tory, but even now the central figures in
the everyday life Of this nation are not
the sons Of the metropolitan cities.
Grover Cleveland springs from the bu.
collie element in our politics, and II was the
country district that took him up and
made him a candidate for Governor. and
thus started him on his upward and on.
ward career. james q. Blaine was
elected 10 Congress from one OF the most
ruml districts Of the rural State Of Maine,
and such men M Senator Allison, Bcn
Harrison, Judge Gresham, Frank His.
cock, John Sherman and many Of the
other men who arc willing 20 take his
place at the head Of the Republican party
have been made possible candidates by
the rural constituencies that have sent
them 10 the halls Of national legislation.
Who are the central and most promi.
nent figures In Congress today7
Speaker Carlisle + back country Ken.
tuckian, and Roger q. Mills, before his
election 10 Congress, ten years since, never
saw tidewater. Tom Reed, Of Maine, lives
out in the country near Portland, and his
constituency II iour.Riths Of the rural per.
suasion. William Walter Phelps, on his
farm In Ten Eyck, looks out upon his dis.
trict Of three counties, with no big city
within lis borders Holman, Springer,
Cuicheon, Cannon, Culbenson, Grain and
the other leaders are all "haysecders."
How many conspicuous figures on tho
floor Of the House Of Representatives rep.
resent city constituencies Only Sam Ran.
dali, Of Philadelphia, and Sam Cox, OF New
York.
How many senators Of national cminencc
arc named as city mon7 Only Eyarts, OF
New York; lIawley, Of Hartford; Eustis,
Of New Orleans, and Stanford, OF san Fran.
cisco.
Senators Morgan and Pugh. Of Alabama;