Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-19
IMPORTANT VISITORS.
Representative Southern Capitalists
Call ON General Harrison.
They Impress Upon Him the Necessity of
Appointing Good Men to Office in
the South-His Reply.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Dec. 1S.-Gen-
eral Harrison s most important visitors
to-day were committee of southern cap
italists and business men from Birming-
ham, Ala. consisting of nine well-known
citizens, as follows: Thomas 81. HeddOn,
who is a son of Secretary of the Navy
Heddon of the Southern Confederacy; c.
C. Cadie, Jr., Frederick Sloss,
Henry F. Debardelben, David
Roberts, c.. P. Williamson, Charles
Turner, Edward Thomas and B. B. Tom
kins, the latter OF Atlanta They were
met at the depot by eX-Congressman R.
B Pierce land accompanied by him visited
General Harrison at 80. This commit
tee is said by one of its members to repre-
sent an invested capital of $50 ZOO, 600.
Prior to the last election five out of the
nine were Democrats, but all voted the
Republican ticket on the protection is
sue. They presented to the president
elect the following memorial signed by
capitalists representing 500 900 200 in
vested in the South:
A MEMORIAL.
"To General Benjamin Harrison-We,
the undersigned citizens of Alabama,
congratulate yOu and the country OH the
success of Republican principles which
have caused your election, because we
believe the protective tariff will promote
and aid the development of our mutual
resources, and because an issue free from
sectional feeling and prejudice is now
presented on which the people Of the
South can divide according to the dictates
of reason and conviction. We know
there are large numbers in this
section who think as we do, and are only
restrained from public expression and
advocacy of their opinions by feeling of
uncertainty as to what will be the policy
adopted i'll the treatment of the Southern
problem and apprehension that any
change in our local government will be
detrimental to our best interests. This
fear we believe will be materially lessened
by good appointments, and the best re-
suits of your election viii be assured by
making appointments from that class of
Republicans who command the conf
dence and respect of the communities III
which they live. Such appointments will
develop two strong parties, and thus Sc
cure to us good government.
CORDIAL RECEPTION.
General Harrison received them with
great cordiality, and invited them into
his library, place few visitors reach.
The discussion was entirely informal,
both on the part of the committee and
the general. Mr. .Heddon acted as spOkes-
man, and explained to General Harrison
the pauses leading TO this new
move i'll the South looking
toward the reimbursement of party
lines The gentlemen OF the committee
state that General Harrison talked freely
with them on the subject of protection
and the benefits the North had reaped
from it, which were also open to the
South The development of the South
was a gratifying sign to him. The COM
mittee was particular to impress upon
General Harrison the Importance of APP
pointing representative men TO Office i'll
the South. 27
The members of the committee are very
secretive as to what if any definite ex-
preston the president-elect made touch
ing his views of the Southern
question or race question. As to
the latter it does seem to have en-
tered directly into the conversation, but
a prominent member of the committee i'll
speaking to an Associated Press
correspondent unguardedlv made an i'm
portant admission when he stated in con-
nectiOn with the efforts of the committee
to impress upon General Harrison the
Importance of appointing only such men
to office as were appointed in the North.
To this question he said the general re
piled: u shall try to appoint only good
men to office in the South; good republic
cans - This quotation is not given as
nquestionably correct, for when general
attention was called to the significance of
the last two words he was silent and
would not retract or deny.