The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-03-19
qbe 9ntelliqeMter.
0fiiosl Nos, rs anl ~ FouFtSouth Street,
HARRISON AND THE SOUTH.


A Striking Survey by Gen. Roger A, Pryor, .
Southern Man and Democrat,
New York Herald,
~ make no pretention to represent
anybody, any section or person, or to
speak for any section or person. Ionly
give my own individual opinion, based
upon a pretty close observation Of poll
tics for forty years and on my knowledge
OF the South, my nativity and residence
there for thirty.seven years, AS To the
effect OF President Harrison's election on
the South l can Judge only from his
character and the deliyeFalces OF his In
augural address. take 1t that he is a
man OF cautious, conservative character,
and that from his ancestral connection
with Virginia he entertains no feeling Of
resentment or hostility to the Southern
people. His inaugural is significant In
two important partiCulars-namely, an
abstention from interference with the
race controversies Of the South and an
avowed purpose to uphold the policy Of
o protective tariff as against a reVenue
tariff,
III he will conduct his administration
upon these lines laid down in his in
augural, and will appoint respectable
characters 10 Office in the Southern
States, in my judgment he will break up
what ia called the Solid South, and at
tach very large proportion Of the
Southern vote TO the Republican party,
| Against this tendency and to counteract
the confidence OF the Southern people in
the Republican party will be opposed
the influence, first, OF the habit Of asso-
cation with the Democratic party, and
second, the influence OF the Democratic
politicians who find their account in
maintaining the Solid South and to that
end in keeping up the antagonism be-
tween the races,
"0n the other hand the influences
operating TO detaCh the Southern people
from tho Democratic party under the
operation Of tho policy indicated are OBJ
yious and potent. The South Is strongly
in favor ola distinctly protective tariff.
Since the war the manufacturing inter-
ests Of the South have been developed
with extraordinary rapidity, These in.
terests OF nasCent manufactures require,
In the conception OF the Southern peo-
Pile, for their exploitation high protect
i've tariff"
WHY TIE SOUTH WANTS PROTECTION.
"Do you think, General, that the
South wants protective tariff"
"The South sees in Its manufacturing
interests q promise aud the potency OF q |
new and most tlourishlng regime. The |
actual indications OF public sentiment in |
the South are all in the direction OF a
protective policy, Imean the sentiment
OF the people. Even In Texas, where
there are no manufactures, the wool iu- |
terest clamors for protection. The min
eral resources OF Virginia, Tennessee,
Alabama and other States also demand
protection. Then, too cotton factories
are rapidly springing up in the cotton
States. The combined effect OF these in
fluenCes, repeat, is to make the South
ern people the champions ofaproteCtive
policy"
"Why has not this been manifested at
the polls in tho late Presidential cleo.
toni"
"Hitherto this iniluence-namely, the
protective policy-has not attracted the
Southern peopleto the Republican party |
because OF tho paramount and irresisti- |
BILE apprehension OF the race conflict. |
All issues in the South are subordinated |
to the supreme necessity oil keeping the
educated white classes In control OF the |
governments, and go long as there Is any
menace OF tho NsCendancy OF the ignor-
ant colored race the apprehension OF that
contingency will keep the Southern peo.
pie solid In alliance with the Democratic |
party. But so soon as this fear Is dissi-
pated that moment the influence OF the |
tariff will assert and display it itself. II
the sole party issue before the people Of
the South be q protective tariff us against |
n revenue tariff they will support a party |
which represents the cause OF pFotec-
ton"
"You think this question will come to |
the front?"
a take IL President Harrison intends
TO eliminate the race problem from poll
tics and 10 thrust forward protection us
the distinguishing policy ofhis admins
tration. II he do that, and at the same |
time appoint inoflensive men to Office in |
the South, no matter though his appoin-
tees be Republicans, he will undoubted.
ly break up the solid South and probat.
ly secure for his party majority OF the |
electoral vote in tho South.
THE OLD WING PARTY.
another thing. The old Wing party |
was before the war a most respectable |
and weighty power in the South. The
members OF that party were profoundly |
attached TO It's principles, its traditions |
and its leaders. The descendants Of It's |
members now on the stage have inherited |
the principles and prejudices Of their
ancestors, and have since the war co.
operated with the Democratic party re.
luCtantly and from sheer necessity-I |
mean the necessity imposed by the dan
ger OF negro supremacy. That danger
being removed, this old wing element,
still attached TO the principles Of pro.
lection, internal improvements and lib.
eral 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 Repub.
lican party. You will observe the fact
with which, in his inaugural, President
Harrison appealed to the old Wing ele-