The daily critic., 1890-05-28
GIVE TINE souTH A CHANCE.


Ho1pcrs Weekly seems to be surprised
by the discovery that there Is some dis.
position at the South to do away with
existing political methods and TO EN-.
brace plan that will secure an abso.
lutely Independent expression Of public
/ sentiment.
The truth IS that this disposition is
stronger among the better classes Of the
Southern States than with any other
| people in the country. What the Re.
publicans Of the North cannot or will
not understand Is that the South labors
under a condition Of things which
makes such consummation impracti.
cable, not to say impossible.
As things stand now the people have
no choice except as between two evils.
The solid white line, with It's tyranny
Of management, its rule of ring and
caucus, its repression Of the growing
differences on questions of economy and
State, Is an evil confessed by ALL
Furthermore il Is au evil which grows
more oppressive and intolerable with
each succeeding year But IL is not
and never can be so abhorrent as the
regime Of the negro and the carpet.
bagger, under which. twenty years ago,
the South was given over TO misrule
and spoliation and disorder, and there
are no imaginable circumstances under
which the whites could be made to re-
turn to that regime-none. at least, that
are possible in free country.
Nevertheless, there is in every quar-.
ter Of the South where Intelligent and
thoughtful people dwell, an earnest
and genuine desire to depart into new
and better methods, and To throw of
forever the dcspotism OF the machiue.
If Senator lIoar and Mr. Cabot Lodge
would. instead Of dcyising schemes for
subiectlng the Southern whites to what
they rightly believe To be the danger Of
negro domination, propose a plan by
which the evils of ignorant and cor
rupt voting might be absolutely pre-
vented, they would be promoting use
ful and patriotic ends. These gentle
men have, in their own State of Mass.
aohusetts, an election law which does
all this. Why do they not propose It
for the country At larger Northern
States have found Il desirable 10 enact
laws under which the ignorant cannot
vote at all, and the vicious aud pur.
chaseable cannot lind market for
their votes, Why IS Il that these re-
formers, so jealous for peace and purity
at home, cannot bring themselves to
feel a similar solicitude for the nation
as a wholey If Massachusetts, aud
Rhode Island needed the protection Of
the Australian system, do not Alabama
and South Carolina need Il still moreg
of course, there would be opposition
TO even this kind Of a national law In
certain quarters, but it would proceed
from the few who are the benedclaries
Of the existing system, and not from
the masses Of the people. The latter
are praying for a state Of thiags 10
which they can, without danger Of slill
worse evils, resume the proud privilege
Of Independent political action. The
causes which divide men on questions
Of policy in other parts Of the country
are in active operation a, the South as
veil. Large districts of Alabama,
Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina,
Virginia and Georgia are rapidly lie
yeloping into great mining aud manu-
featuring communities. Within few
years they will be the centres Of this
Kind Of production, opulent and pop
ulous beyond any present conception,
II left 10 the processes Of a natural and
peaceful growth. Take a vote among
the participants in this magnificent in
dustrial development. including the
Northern Republican as well as tue
Southern Democrat, and see how many
voices will be raised IN favor Of election
laws that will plunge these districts
into turmoil and disorder and check the
splendid march Of progress
There can BE- but one result Of the
national election laws thus far proposed,
and that Is a return 10 all The worst hOr-
IoTs Of the reconstruction era. And the
men who force the issue oa the South
viii BE- held responsible by the awakened
conscience and enlightened Judgment
Of the country. They have protected
themselves al home from the ignorant
and vicious ballot Of the imported Grim
inal and pauper Public sentiment viii
want 10 kuow Why they refused 10 pro-
tect the South from the equally ignorant
and vicious ballot Of the native negro.