The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-07-31
A Foolish Remedy.

There is IA deep feeling prevailing
through all Southern communities
against the Lodge Force bill, or any
other measure of similar import 1t is
looked upon not SO much as a device to
subserve party purposes as it IS a propo-
sition to humilitate and impose upon
the Southern people and initiate against
their material interests. The Atlanta
Constitution formulates this feeling and
emphasizes its position in a strong edi-
torial, favcring a systematic boycott of
Northern industries in case the Force
bill goes through. 1t outlines a plan of
operation in the organization Of home
rule leagues throughout the South
After quoting from the. newspapers
which have taken the lead in the fight
against the Force bill, the Constitution
says Appeals to reason and conscience,
indignant protests and shotgun meth
DDS will not meet the Force bill. but the
most tremendous boycott of all the ages
will make it a dead letter, wipe it from
the statute books and battle and defeat
its supporters. Sometimes there has
been a little talk about the solid South
Our partisan enemies do not fully realize
the meaning OF the phrase, and they
may count themselves fortunate if we
do not teach it to them i'll the bitter
school of experience. With the pro-
mitigation of the Force bill every white
human being in the South between the
cradle and the grave will unite with his
fellow countrymen and stand with them
to the end. There will be no more dis
cord or factions in the Democracy, and
around the standard will rally the last
white Republican. A common danger
will bring the whites of the South to-
gether, sinking al. the differences of the
past and sacrificing every personal am
bition for the supreme interest of the
hour
The boycott, with every white man,
woman and child in the South behind
it, will be mightier than all the armies
whose marching feet once shook this
continent from sea to sea. With this
peaceful weapon in our hands all the
hosts that hate us cannot prevail against
US. Home rule leagues will be organized
everywhere in the South, and the mem
bers will pledge themselves not to buy a
dollars worth of anything that is pro-
duced or manufactured in the North
Commercially speaking, an impossible
wall.will arise between the sections. All
the benefit will be on one side and all the
loss on the other. The necessity of the
case-the home demand-will, as was
the case in the blockade days during
the war, stimulate the growth Of every
Southern industry Manufactures will
spring up everywhere. Our farmers,
pledged not to buy, corn and meat from
the West, will raise their supplies at
home and our dream of self-sustaining,
diversified agriculture will become
fact. Our long delayed trade with Eu-
rope will come with rush and the flags
Of all nations will futter in Southern
harbors. Paralysis will seize the con-
gested capital, industries, commerce
and the railway lines running from the
North to the South, and hundreds of
thousands of desperate and idle work
ingmen in the great cities in the North
and West will Hereby turn upon society
and raise the cry, Bread or blood If
we have to try the boycott under the
Force bill we shall revive the old-time
enthusiasm and patriotism of the early
ciytiac