The sun., 1890-07-29
Tho South and the Force Bill.

| The South, on the whole, Is behaving mag
nincently about tho Force bill. While the
proposed measure Of Federal interference is
a blow aimed ut Constitutional rights and
individual liberty in every part of the land,
| it is the South that would suffer most under
the outrage. The infamy of the project first
OF nll concerns the citizens OF region which
already knows the meaning OF bayonets at
! the polls which has been plundered and op-
pressed by corrupt State Governments up
held by Federal power, and which has heard
tho tread of United States soldiers In the
halls Of its Legislatures.
Some OF the most effective arguments
against the LODGE bill were presented in
reasonable and temperate language by
Southern members OF Congress, Republicans
as well as Democrats. These Southern pro-
tests were not painted with the rhetoric OF
frenzy There has been mol more exhaustive,
dispassionate. and convincing presentation
OF the Constitutional principles involved
than that contained in the admirable speech
OF Gen. JOE WHEELER of Alabama, who
rode for three years at the head of the
dashlng cavalry corps Of the Confederacy's
Western Army.
The proposition Of the Atlanta Constitu-
tion to boycott the North In case the LODGE
bill becomes law, does not represent South
ern opinions In regard to the matter. The
boycott idea was advanced with an excellent
motive, but with poor Judgment and insult
ficient consideration; and then 1t was appar-
entity used for all that 1t was worth as a
newspaper boom. 1t gets little support
even in Atlanta, where the public meeting
called for the purpose OF proclaiming the
boycott pigeonholed the lurid resolution
prepared by the editor Of the Constitution,
and In It's place adopted resolutions emil
nently distinguished by patriotic modera-
ton and calm good sense.
The leading Southern newspapers. as q
rule with few If any exceptions. reject the
Cbnsttt,ltiOns 8 idea as not suited to the occa-
sion and unworthy Of the South. The
Augusta Chronicle, for example. the news
paper OF that stanch Democrat. the Hon.
PATRICK WALSH. has this to say concerning
the boycott
ave do not believe can be effective Tho North and
South are drawn closer together every year by
meroiSl ties The old imaginary parallel of MASON and
DIXON harder to delineate Where the dead line
be drawn. and what cities to be made the victims
Of this boyco Take New York city, where IAt
ne for tho south 10 arranged New York is Demo.
cratic town by 1900 majority, and tomorrow, II
vote were taken. New York city would whelm this
measure under mountain of ballots- Shall boycott
Now York because Philadelphia favors tho Force bill
Or shall we boycott business concern whose owners
may be divided among both political partesi Where
10 this subtle distinction to Begin and where It TO end
To institute boycott now would be to deprive
Northern friends OF tho power OF helping and
Solldfy support Of The LoDGE bill into something
worse"
And the same good sense appears In the
New Orleans Times Democratic discussion of
the subject:
while we believe that this mschisvous law should
proposed by the Atlanta Contribution Half the people
commrecial and industrial protest against the
sick OF It, Shall We inure neighborS and friends of
Democratic Boston because LoDoE enemyt Shall
The boycott project was largely the SEN
sation Of single newspaper, and 1t Is al
ready dead. But tho popular indignation
which found expression for q few days In |
that mistaken way still remains. and 80
does tho determination to fight this great
battle to the end. The behavior OF the
South has strengthened the hands OF the
Democratic members OF Congress and OF
tho Democratic press. The Democracy is
united, and under the flag OF united De-
mocracy the battle will be fought.