The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-19
THE FUTURE OF THE SOUTH
Gen. Roger A. Pryor Predicts that Its
Democratic SOlidity Will Be Broken.
Her Manufacturers Need Protection, and They
Will Support Republican Principles if
They Are Granted State Control.
Interview in New York Herald.


prominent public man in close touch with
the people of the South, lifelong Demo-
craft and brave soldier in the mistaken
battle for slavery and secession, no man
living probably knows the sentiment of our
Southern brethren better than Gen. Roger
A. Pryor. A man of ripe culture and long
experience in public life, his opinions upon
politics in the South are entitled to respect
full consideration. Therefore, when /
CHANGED to meet General Pryor the
other day, very naturally asked him
what he thought, as q Southern man and
an old-time Democrat, as to the future of
the South under the new Republican
federal administration. What he said in
reply impressed me with such force. both
from the originality and Importance of the
matter and the thoughtful earnestness of
the speakers manner. that asked General
Pryor's permission to print it.
al make no pretension," said the General.
Ito represent anybody. any section or per-
son. or to speak for any section or per-
son. / only have my own individual
opinion, based upon pretty close observa-
knowledge of the South my nativity and
residence there for thirty years, and
my knowledge of the North and residence
tiere for twenty-three years. AS to the
effect of President Harrison on the South
can only judge from his character and the
deliyerances of his inaugural address. l
take 1t that he is man of cautious, con-
sentative character. and that from his an
cestral connection with Virginia he enter
tains no feeling of resentment or hostility
TO the Southern people. His inaugural
is significant In two important particu-
1ars-namely, an abstention from inter
ference with the race controversies of the
South and an avowed purpose to uphold the
policy of a protective tariff as against
revenue tariff.
IF he will conduct his administration
upon these lines laid down in his inaugural,
and will appoint respectable characters to
Office in the Southern States, in ny judg-
ment be will break up what is called the
solid South, and attach very large pro-
portion of the Southern vote to the Repub-
1ican party. Against this tendency and to
counterfeit the confidence of the Southern
people in the Republican party will be op-
posed the influence, first, of the habit of as
ISOLATION with the Democratic party, and
politicians who find their account in main
tanning the solid South and to that end in
keeping up the antagonism between the
races.
"On the other hand the influences operat-
ing to detach the Southern people from the
Democratic party under the operation of
the policy indicated are obvious and
potent. The South is strongly In favor of
a distinctly protective tariff. Since the
South have been developed with extra
ordinary rapidity. These interests of
nascent manufactures require, in the con-
ceptiOh of the Southern people, for their ex-
ploitation high protective tariff"
do yOu think, General, that the South
wants a protective tariff"
1.-The South sees in its manufacturing in
terests promise and the potency of a new
,.6 rfoIaI GIa att nj
indications of public sentiment in the South
are all in the direction of protective
= policy. l mean the sentiment of the people.
Even in Texas, where there are no manu-
features, the wool interest clamOrs for pro-
lection. The mineral resources of Virginia,
Tennessee. Alabama and other States also
demand protection. Then, too, cotton fac
tories are rapidly springing up in the cot
influences, / repeat. is to make the South
em people the champions of protective
policy"
the polls in the late presidential electionp
Hitherto this infiuence-namely. the
protective pOlicy-has not attracted the
Southern people to the Republican party
because of the paramount and irresistible
apprehension of the race conflict All is
sues in the South are subordinated to the
supreme necessity of keeping the educated
white classes in control of the governments,
and so long as there is any menace of the
ascendency of the ignorant cOlOred race the
apprehension of that contingency will keep
the Southern people solid in alliance with
the Democratic party. But so soon as this
fear is dissipated that moment the infiu-
ence of the tariff will assert and display
itself. If the sole party issue before the
people of the South be protective tariff as
against a revenue tariff they will support a
party which represents the cause of protec-
tiOn."
lyon think this question will come to the
Il take it President Harrison intends to
. eliminate the race problem from politics,
and to thrust forward protection as the dis
tinguishing policy of his administration.
appoint inoffensive men to Office in the
South, no matter though his appointees be
Republicans, he will undoubtedly break
up the solid South, and probably secure for
his party majority of the electoral vote in
the South.
Another thing. The old Wing party was
before the war g most respectable and
weighty power In the South. The members
of that party were profoundly attached to
its principles, its traditions and its leaders.
The descendants of its members now on the
stage have inherited the principles and
prejudices of their ancestors. and have,
cratic party reluctantly and from sheer ne
cessity-I mean the necessity imposed by
the danger of negro supremacy. That dan
ger being removed, this old Wing element,
St1ll attached TO the principles OF pfOUec-
tion, internal improvements and liberal
federal expenditures, will readily and
heartily cooperate with the party which
promises TO carry those principles into
effect. In other words, they will readily
ally themselves with the Republican party.
You will observe the tact with which, in
his inaugural, President Harrison appealed
TO the old Wing element in the South by
his invocation to the memory of Webster
and Clay, thereby appealing at once to the
hearts and principles of the Wings of the
South.
Again, the Southern people, as body and
irrespective of party, favor large federal
appropriations, which are especially needed
in that section. You have observed this
that since the war the Democratic Repre-
sentatives in Congress- from the South have
We'd with the Republicans in voting for
liberal federal expenditures.
"And yet another important considera-
ton. Before the war the people of the
South cherished the strict construction and
the State-right doctrine, seeking to min
imize and restrain federal power, for the
obvious reason that the exertion of that
power portended the destruction of slavery.
1t was for the security of their institution
of slavery that the Southern people assert
ed the exclusive control of the State gov
ernments over that institution, and denied
the right of the federal government TO re
strict the expansion of slavery in the fed
eral territory. But slavery being now
gone. that special interest. of course, ceases
TO hold the Southern people to the strict
construction and State-right doctrine.
while on the other hand the necessity of