Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-04-05
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 5, 1889
WHAT DOES THE PRESIDENT
THINK OF IT.

WHAT DOES THE PRESIDENT
THINK OF IT.
When President Harrison was about
taking his seat, the air was filled with sug-
gestions, prophecies and demands-all from
Republican sources-that he should, would
and must break the Solid Democratic
South, by appointing the ''bestmen" toposl-
ton. Hon. John S. Wise, Col. FL. G. Par
sons. Gen. Longstreet and others, all pre-
dicted that the country was about to wit
ness revolution in the manner Republican
administrations have treated their long sui
ferino brethren of the South. Well, Mr.. Har-
rison has taken his seat and entered upon
his work. He has appointed his cabinet,
his chosen counsellors. Not one of them
from Republicans residing in the Late
Confederacy"! Hehas appointed his Diplo-
matte corps. But two siXth-rate places are
given to Republicans residing in the ''late
Treasurer, his Assistant Secretaries, his
Assistant Postmaster General. Not one Of
them Republican eX-Confederate The
dish is empty; the last pea has been dis
tributed. and the "best men" are now
turning their longing gaze to the collector
ships. postoffices and clerkships i'll their re-
spective States. Having been disappointed
in pudding they humbly betal1e themselves
to pie. And even as they reach their plate
for pie, there is a timid apprehension that
on I'M
other alien not one of the 'best men, - will
rudely snatch 1t from them.
But where are those 'best mem? Is it
possible President Harrison could not find
them? We have been told that the Republi-
can party in the South contains live, progress
sive, able men with ''great interests y in thei1
section-men who were better Republicans
than Northern Republicans, because from
pure love of Republican principles they had
passed through the fiery furnace of perse-
cution for opinions sake Where, we re-
peat. were they when President Harrison
was distributing his favors ? President
Cleveland. Democrat, who was elected
four years before, found no difficulty i'll
lIllulllS UtbU UItll Ill UllC kCOuULl lOI IN a.
tionalpositions. In Virginia alone he found
a minister to Spain, the Railroad Commits
sioner. the U. S. Solicitor General, the
Minister to Spain; the Minister to Italy
the representative on the Egyptian Inter
national Court; in the South he found
members of his cabinet, Justices of the
Supreme Court, Heads of Departments
men for it's due share of all the Nationa
Honors How was it that President HaIri
son could not find them in has party?
If President Harrison treats the South
ern Republicans SO contemptuously an(
losses them only the little bones of State
Federal offices to pick-Attorneyships
Marshalships, Post offices, tide walters an(
the like, what right has the Republican
party of theSouth to protest against The
distrust in which the Democracy of tht
South holds them? If they bear the ''pros
cription'' by President Harrison without ;
murmur; if they submit without protes
to the brand of incompetency put Oh then
for the world to look at, by President Harri
son, how can they protest against thu
same brand being put on them by TIL
Southern Democracy, which has know
themlonger, intimately, and more thor
oughly than President Harrison OF his ad
yisers ever will. If Pres ident Harrison
proscribes them before the world, why Should
not the Democracy prescribe them at home
But there is much more in this than il
on the surface. Of the o32 delegates tha
nominated Gen. Harrison for the Presiden
cy. Just 300-over one-third Of the whole
number-came from this very section whicl
is tabooed in the distribution Of Nationa
Honors. Of the so votes Gen. Harrison
got on the first ballot, 46-mOre than one
half-came from this same section. SO il
would appear that in the Presidential hunt
this Southern Republican element which is
thus published to the world as unfit to par
ticipate in the government Of the Nation
not only held the balance Of power, but &C
tually started the game for the man now
President Of the country. If an element
that starts a candidate for President and
contributes the final coup towards his nom
ination is not deemed by that President tC
contain 'sbest men, qualified to represent
their section in the CounciIof the Nation
OF their country in foreign courts, where is
the consistency in demanding that the
Democratic States of the South shall turn
their interests over to them?