St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-19
Statesmen Of That Section
Freely Express Their
Opinions
Of What the Southern Cues
ton Is and How 1t
Should Be Met.
White Rule in Municipal and
State Affairs and No
Meddling.
Can Get Along With Little In
reference by the Gov
eminent.

PHILADELPHIA. April 18.-The Phi
ladelphia Inquirer will publish to-mor-
row interviews which it has collected
with prominent men and politicians OF
the Southern states. Only men well
known in their sections are applied to
and to these the following questions
are put: FirSt-What is the Southern
question? Second-How should it be
met to produce the greatest good
to the South? The idea of the In.
qulrer was to octain the real
views OF southern leaders upon a sub
lect which is becoming very prominent
Inc response III nearly every case gave
the sentiment that the race problem is
the great one to be solved, and that the
South should be allowed to manage he,
own affairs without interference. Fol
lowing is brief summary of some OF
the opinions: Gov. Richardson, OF
South Carolina, says that the Southern
question is the race problem: Shall the
African or Caucasian predominant?
The solution is the strict avoid
ance by the general government
OF any distinctlvely foreign policy
and in leaving to the states themselves
the management of their own domestic
affairs. Governor Fitz-Hugh Lee, of
Virginia, saws: 1.-TWO distinctraces are
wrestling with each other for political
supremacy. The question is, therefore,
whether the Southern states and cities
shall be retained in the hands of the
white men or whether there shall be a
war of races. The prosperity of both
races and that of the states in which
they live demands that each state
should be allowed to control its own
internal affairs without federal inter-
ference and to exercise those rights res
erved with the greatest care to the
states, by the representatives of those
states who framed the constitution in
the city OF Philadelphia over one hun
dred years ago." Gov. Buckner, of
Kentucky, protests that there is no such
question. 1.-The So-called Southern queS-
ton seems to be hot-bed plant of
Northern growth-an exotic which will
not flourish in Southern soil. Such I'M
patriotic sectional agitatIons, whether
originating in the North or South
should not be encouraged by
the people of any section,
and the injury resulting %from
would be reduced to a minimum if the
people of each state would continue to
attend to their own affairs in accordance
with their local constitutions and unite
in supporting the general government
in its just exercise of all its legitimate
powers" A. j. Russell, superintendent
of public instruction of Florida,
says as the question is discussed in
Republican journals, he is led to
suppose that some special legis-
lation is to be inflicted on the South,
but the South has no fear. If the ques-
ton means. how can the Southern peo-
pie be made Republican, it cannot be
done. The truth is,the so-called South
ern question can best and wisest be
answered by letting the South alone in
its enjoyment of constitutional rights.
Oscar III. Cooper, superintendent of
difficulties af the adjustment of the two
races are being met and overcome by
common sense. T. M. Miller,
attorney general of Mississippi,
says: THE contrast between the
has been so decidedly in favor of the
latter that the white people are deter
mined there shall be no return to the
former-indeed military despotism
would be preferred. If our political
dominion at home is at all questioned in
its rightfulneSS of origin, let it be re-
membered that we view government
here as matter of business, not glory,
and we protest against interference, be-
cause we know that our state affairs
are managed in the interest of all. We
say to the Republicans, take
your ne states and keep con-
troll of the general govern
met if you choose; keep up scheme of
taxation revolving to justice and OPP
pressive upon the agricultural sections,
and we will submit cheelfully, but
don't set ignorance and vice to rule
over the South. Lastly, when interest
and Judgment, instead of passion and
prejudice. shall control the Southern
negro; when there shall be freedom of
opinion among them, then the whole
question will be solved. The white
people are solid because the negroes
were solid against them" The state
treasurer OF Arkansas, W. E. Wood
by remitting to the states chiefly
affected all local subjects, the
supreme court of the United States be-
ing the final arbiter. George NJ. Adams,
secretary of state of Kentucky, saws:
Il am one of those who believe in the
right of the people to regulate their
own affairs in their own way" Solo
mon Palmer, superintendent of educa-
ton of Alabama, thinks the South
will work out the solution
if left free to do so.
Lieut.-Gov. Mauldin, of South Caro-
lima. says: 1.-The federal government
can help the south by appointing to
office men of character ana capacity. by
dealing generously in the matter of her
internal improvements and by refund
ing to her people the cotton tax, so un-
justly collected from them. In other
words. say, let the south alone"