The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-14
THE SOLID SOUTH BROKEN.

In scVe raj places, and In hall dozen partlcnhrr'
the SOLID South has been broken In 1873 II Is
broken In Missouri by the fact that the plurality
for the candidate for Governor of tho Democratic
party Is 50 small that neither he himself nor any
body else could toll whether he was elected at all
until the returns from tho last Of the election dis
tricts wco counted IL broken In Maryland by the
overwhelming defeat Of the ring run by Senator
German. President Clcvclnnd's lieutenant, which
dominated IN, affairs Of baltimore and Maryland for
many years past his broken in Delaware by tho
election Of a Republican Legislature and the de-
feat 1T the ncmocracy, which has controlled the
state almost continuously since long before the
Republican party was founded. II Is broken In
West Virginia by the election of II Republican
Legislature and Republican Governor, and by
che majority which tho state has given to BcnJa-
min Harrison.
Party division on sectional lines r. a dangerous
and dlscrudtabc feature In our politics. II should
have been removed ycau nRo. The fact, indeed,
that IL ever existed ut Gll Is lasting reproaoh
to The individuals or party responsible for H. This
Anomalous condition Of things Is ended now, how
ever. II can never again be conndenty'predlcied
that the votes Of all the territory south Of the old
line Of Mason and Dixon are safe for the Demo-
cratic party-or IN fact for any other pnrty-what
ever the issue may De and under all circumstances
30 political event OF the future a. more certain 10
take place Than that the electoral vote Of West Viz
ginin, Virginia Missouri and Tennessee, OF the SOC
tlon heretofore known a. the solid south, viii be
cast for the Republican Presidential candidate In
lsJ2- Louis obc Dcmtcrdt
We do.not believe with our contempt
rary That Virginia, Missouri and Ton
ncssee are likely, underany circumstances
TO be Republican States in 1892. West
Virginia may, possibly, because Of disclose
contieuly to Ohio, by which its people
have always been influenced. As TO Della
ware, II is Republican owing TO a ioud be-
tween the saulsburys and the Bayards, but
on full vote aud fair count we believe
Il TO be Democratic. and that il will so
vote at the next National election. But
we would willingly swap these last men
toned States TO secure Illinois, Minnesota
and Michigan, which, by the self interest
that governs 80 largely in politics are
really Democratic. so far as the Solid
South Is concerned II might, az TuE Ar.
PEAL has said repeatedly, have been made
from the. first an impossibility had the
Republican party moi forced all the white
PEOPLE together by the impoltic and 70.
prcssiyo measures Of reconstruction, and
The encouragement they gave to negro
governments 10y the Acknowledgement Of
the mass Of the white votes. 1t is the fear
Of negro asccndancy that keeps the South
solid. Remove that fear AMI open way
TO the discussion Of economic quos.
lions, and tho Solid South will dis
appear. There Is as much diversity OF
opinion upon the tariff, for instance, in
some places n; the South ~ is 10 be found
At the North, and this would find free cx-
preston at tho ballot.box II only the
dreaded conditions wero removed or bro
ken up. TINS ArrEAL, conscious Of the
value OF Democratic principles to the whole
people OF the United States, does not fear
thc breaking up Of the solid South, II
only tho Federal Government will be
hands % aud leave Us 10 manage the
-ssav ana every other local question 10
the bcst Of our ability. II It does not, II
Il shall como down here, with the disrcsi.
ton manifested by 40 many Of the Repub
lean leaders, the South will remain solid
beyond any power 10 break II up.