Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-03-12
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

The LEAF-CHRONICLE prints in
this issue Col. Colyar's Washington
letter to the Age-Herald on
the political situation, which we
think is worth reading and study
ing. We do not agree with Col. Col.
var in his tariff views, but aside
from that it must be admitted that
he is conservative Democrat, a
close observer and student of politics,
whose keen perception readily pene
trates the objects of men and meas
ures, and in this letter he goes to the
heart of the situation, giving the
Southern press and people some cool,
wholesome advice, which the South
would do well to heed. The letter
will bear careful reading with every
line emphasized.
Nothing was ever more clear than
the object of ingalls,, Chandler, Reed
and other Republican leaders-to ir-
ritate and eXasperate the Southern
people to say and do things that will
enable them to fire the sectional
spirit of the North, that all issues
may be overshadowed and lost sight
OF in the one question of Northern
supremacy in the government and
maintenance of the Republican par
ty in power. In no other way can
this be done except by firing the sec
tional passions of the North in which
they must have the help of the hot
headed people of the South, hence
the agitation of the race question and
manufacture of Southern Outrages,
in which the press of the South has
foolishly Joined, to put down a race
war when there is and has been no
race war. Our people will remem-
Der that this was the game played
during reconstruction days, which
kept the South irritated and in a tu-
mutt for years. During the admins
trations of Hayes, Garfield and Ar
thur the bloody shirt lost its force,
the people of the South were re
leased from carpet-bag rule and
turned their attention to industrial
pursuits of every kind. Sweet
peace spread her wings over our
beautiful Southland, capital poured
into our borders from every quarter,
and prosperity, such as never blessed
any country, overspread our land
as soon as sectional agitation ceased,
letting questions of government pol
icy come to the front.
The Democratic party gained as.
tendency, and the election of Mr..
Cleveland brought still greater peace
to the whole country. Fractional
controversies among the New York
Democrats and corrupt influences OF
Northern capitalists and spoilsmen
brought the Republican party into
power again, and it is now clear to
the leaders that they cannot main.
tain their hold on the government
without renewing the old fight OF
reconstruction days.
Should not our people drop the
discussion of the race question, laugh
at the bloody shirt bureau, turn their
attention to the continued develop
ment of the country, keep the ne.
groes busy in laudable pursuits,
cease all political agitation and send
greetings to the conservative North
ern people, inviting them to come
and share the peace and prosperity
of our booming South, letting the
wild rawlings of Northern political
agitators fall still born? 1t seems
so.
Why should the Southern press be
burdened daily with abuse, Islander
and misrepresentation heaped upon
our section by such men as Chandler
ingalls,, Rev. Cooke, Reed, Wanna
maker, Clnrkson, Dudley, Quay and
others, when it can accomplish nc
other end than that of aiding these
men III their selfish partisan
schemes?
We fully agree with Col. Colyal
that we had better call n halt on this
business and let the agitators brea6
down.