New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-19
FROM THE NEW SOUTH.
AN ALABAMA DELEGATION CALLS ON GEN
ERAL HARRISON.
REPRESENTATIVE BUSINESS MEN FROM BIR-
MINGHAM WHO WANT PROTECTION AND
FREE sUFFRAGE-SENAToR QUAY
REACHES INDIANAPOLIS.

Indianapolis Dec. Ia-Thc visit today TO Gencra
Harrison of the delegation OF business ihoh io,"
Birming CHAM, Ala, was perhaps tho most no'aoio
and important political incident that has happened III
indianapolis since General Harrison's election Inc
committee was made up OF ten representative men
from Northern Alabama four Republicans and SIX
Democrats their combined business interests amount
fnr to 500 900 o00 all OF them now nrm froteeuoh.s
and believers in a renewed and renvigorated hcPuo-
iicanism in the New South. The delegation brought
a memorial to General Harrison signed by 200 moro
business men and manufacturers OF Birmingham
twenty of them Republicans and $50 Democrats, rep
rcsentng In all $50 900 900 OF capital On the COM
mittee which came in person were Thomas Seldom.
the son OF the Confederate Secretary OF War, now
president OF the sloss Iron and Steel Company, OF
birmingham; W. H. woodward, president OF the
birmingham Bessemer Iron and Steel Company II.
T. DC Bardelben, president of the De Bardelben Coal
and iron Company the North and South Railroad,
and Of several birmingham iron and steel companies
exJudgc Henry E. Tompkins, ce-presiden and gen.
cral manager Of the Sheffield and Birmingham Coal
and Iron Company David Roberts, general manager
of the De Barelben Coal and Iron
Company; Edwin Thomas president Of the
Pioneer Iron Company; C. P. Williamson,
president of tho Williamson Iron Company
Charles Turner, ex- Chancellor of Alabama; Cornelius
Cadle jr vice president and manager Of the Cahaba
Coal Mining Company and Frederick sloss, director
and manager of the Birmin cham Mining and Manu-
featuring Company. Their mission TO General Har
rison was, In short, to the appointment OF men
TO Federal Offices in the South qualified by char
and ability 10 command the respect and con-
fdence of the progressive business element and the
adoption Of policy which by insisting protection
and the development of the industries Of the South
will finally break the Bourbon Democracy 10 pieces
end build up eveniy matched parties, which shall
tlvde National issues. A protective tariff and a
free suffrage the platform on which they think
4 Republican party be reorganized In the South
han who reorganizc it,
AS TO the result of their talk with the President
tlcot the delegation is highly enthusiastic "Our
reception" said Mr. Seldom, who spoke for the COM
httec, was most cordial and friendly. General Har
bison talked 10 us most freely and openly Every
kord he said showed that he had the profoundest In
trest IN tho subject and that he had studied 1t for
twenty years. president Cleveland could not have
shown more hearty feeling toward our people. Our
bny regret that the whole South could not have
heard HIM"
A TELEGRAM TO HENRY W.. GRADY
The feeling OF the delegation may be best shown by
The following telegram sent by e1.Jndge Tompkins to
Henry W. Grady Editor Of " Tho Atlanta Consttu-
ton who IS said 10 be in sympathy moro or less with
ihe Birmingham movement:
Cordial reception. Everything perfectly satisfactory.
The delegation arrived at the New DenisOn Hotel
this morning and after looking about tho town in
charge of exCongressman X. u. f. Pierce went up
In carriages In the afternoon to General Harrison's
house. The General had been Informed Of their
proposed visit and met them at once in the hall
Three of the delegation had served in the Union Army
and gone 10 Alabama at the close of the war. One
pf the native southcrneIs had been wounded three
times in the Confederate service. All shook hands
with tho Presldentelcct and the spokesman announced
hat they had not come TO get offices themselves nor
10 urge other men for Office Al they wanted 10 do
HAS to talk the Southern question in an open,
friendly and patriotic manner. The General then
snnk he ial audp padi *
hgneis had put their names to:
70 General benjamin Harrison, indianapolis;
We the under signed. citizens Of Alabama congratulate
lou and the country the success OF those principles
thch have caused your election because believe that
protective tariff will promote and DID the development
natural resources. and because an Issue tree from
eetonal feeling and prejudice Is presented upon
thch people Of the South divide according TO the
acates Of reason and convictions We know there are
rge numbers in this section who think as we DO and are
hly restrained from public expressions by feeling OF
uncertainty what will be the policy adopted in the
Of the Southern problem and apprehension that
ny change local will be detrimental 10
best Interests This fear we believe, VIII be ma
traly lesened by good appointments and the best re
bits your election will be assured by making appoint
from the class Of Republicans who command the
pnndence and respect Of the community in which they
i've. Such appointments will develop two strong parties
nd thus secure TO US good government
The party then settled down for talk in the back
,arlor. AS the delegation described the interview !
lfterward, there a general expression Of views
" the Alabama men, General Harrison listening as !
ach one put side Of the
WHAT WAS TOLD TUE GENERAL
"what We told the General said of the party, |
was this: After the election found that many
.eople in Alabama who in favor of protection,
sere highly pleased with his election, and were
FILLING to have their views represented by such things
were printed in the southern press. We conceived
he idea that would be wise thing to have meet
hg OF representative business men who held the same
opinions that we did, draw up memorial take 1t
forth, and have friendly business talk with the |
'esldentelect on the chances open to the Republican
arty in the New South. We impressed with /
he general uneasiness OF the Southern people TO
that the new Administration might take
he negro question We were satisfied that conserva-
I've acton and the appointment of the best class of
itzens, who believed in the principles on which the
republican party had triumphed, would tend TO dis
upt the Solid South and end In dividing whites and
lacks alike Into strong parties of equal char
cter and nspectability. Our object, in short, was
have the next Administration try to male Re
ublican protection party in the South, which
ould join and work io and yet retain that character
md respectabllty at home which Northern Repub-
leans have at tho North.
"Thcse the things we especially asked for:
federal officers of good character, vigorous and pa
tiotic protection policy and encouragement to South
an Industrial interests. There good deal OF
eminent fl the South Mr. Seldom told General Har-
iSon, but business business and property, South
coming to see, didn't hurt. North
iii Alabama was proioctionlst aud patriotic and would
tick by the party of these ideas If that party would
guarantee a hgh-class local Federal service Vir-
tna, too, would be out and-out Republican
liaie. Such line Of division would soon break
81 In the bourbon forces. The negro vote would
hen divide and free suffrage would be made possible.
n Atlanta and everywhere else thai tho Prohibition
question up the whites divided and both
ides fought 70: the colOed vote. Each
ide was strong enough TO that
be other did not commit frauds and there free
'allot and an honest count. IT would be the same
hing with the broad issue of protection trade
Bvdins more The intelligent class I'm the South. a
inlI eullI acnh