Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-26

of the North. the districts which include
the cities, the manufacturing aud CONNER
cial centres, the people whose business IN
terests arc in great measure to be most
preludiced by the proposed policy, are our
friends and are represented in Congress by
Democratic members. With scant Justice.
il would seem. Will the South-but tor the
votes Of whose Republican members the
bill could never have passed the lover
bouse--assault the business interests OF
these people because of the attempted
passage of legislation by party Of ex-
tremists for whose advent 10 power they
are no more responsible than ourselves.
Ii il wrong because il IL pueriIe TO at
tempt it. The occasion is not sufficiently
grave nor the status or environment of the
southern people such as that the effort
could be crowned with success. There is
too much northern capital linked with
southern brains and enterprise: too many
investments of southern earnings in north
crn centres to arouse an assault oil along
the line against northern interest The
inextracabie business associations which
now exist between the people of the two
sections in the vast aggregations of rail-
road. mining. manufacturing, commercial,
and banking interests cry ont against the
attempted divorce Of sections which every
consideration Of public veal and private
profit would bind in closer union. The
movement would -ignominiously fail !
and upon our country would come the
odium Of the attempt without an appre-
ciable benefit.
IL is wrong because even If tho boycott
were possible of accomplishment the cf-
fects OF nOn-business intercourse between
the two sections would be more disastrous
to the South than TO the North. The
South has great but undeyeloped natural
resources. The North has capital and
white population and while the market
which the North finds in the South for the
sale of her manufactured articles and tine
farm products of the great West il Of
course great factor in her prosperity,
vet the need of the South for northern men
and money is even more pronounced. The
tide Of northern wealth and enterprise
which has made the great Northwest Com
monwoalths rich and powerful IS now
turning towards our borders. The cree
tion Of Chinese wall Of non-buslness IN
tercourse along Mason Il DiXon's lire and
thus stop its dow would be an act OF
sheerest folly.
But beyond the supreme consideration OF
its wrong. it's injustice, its impossibility,
its imu0lIcy. there Is the consideration OF
the political inexpedlency Of the bare agl-
tation ofsuch a subject.
We often hear that in political warfare
bunders are worse than crimes.
The Republican party stands to-day at
the bar Of public opinion 20 render an ac-
count Of its stewardship. The history of
It's unsavOry past arises before II. Still
more difficult Of apology is the record now
being made 10y its representatives. IN Con-
gress The people as never before are
turning their attention 20 the policy of this
party on all the great subjects OF finance.
pensions, tariff. internal taxation, and the
economical administration of the Govern
mcnt.
Their promised abolition Of the internal
revenue system and the aid to popular edu-
cation from the Federal Treasury made by
this party remains untitled. The assurance
OF the reduction Of tariff taxation is follow
ed by the passage of the Mckinley bill,
which uuprecedentcdly increases the rates
Of taxation in the interests OF the few who
have wares 10 sell, while the Premier Of
the Administration declares war upon the
measure and rallies ia its opposition that
great mass of toilefs whose products find
no sale in our midst and who can alone
hone for TemuneTatlve prices IN foreign
markets secured bv reciprocity and the
abrOnatiOn of the cardinal principal OF the
Mckinley bill which, while closing our
ports TO the products Of other countries,
AT the same time closes theirs 10 the out
put from our shores. Its protested friend
shin for the coinage of silver has resulted
in "A policy of duplicity and double dealing
and the passage of bill, which has more
evidences Of its eastern parentege and con-
Germ for gold than of the principles which
1t pretends to promote. Its pension legisia-
ton. unsatisfactory TO the soldiers because
il falls far short Of the promises made 10
that element. and yet IS ruinOus TO the
people because it imposes burdens more
onerous than those of actual war. Under
its system of reckless appropriations the
surplus has disappeared and the spectre of
possible deficit conir0nts US. It's assault
upon the rights of the people as portrayed
in the force bill now before the Senate at
once illustrates the character and oespera-
tion Of the party.
These are some of the conditions which
confront the leaders of the Republican
party at this hour. The tide of popular
sentiment among tIe thoughtful masses
al the North sets IN stronger and stronger
against them. All seems prOpltlous Tor an
actual trial and decision at the bar of pub
lie opinion Of the relative merits of the
two great political parties on their prlnci-
pies and practices, when the North IS TO bo
startled and the eyes Of the whole country
turned from the consideration OF these
subjects, so pregnant with fortune for the
y
the southern people, rallying IN one great
AGGREGATION, and with determined front
bearing down IN an assault not upon the
Republican party and It's record so
vulnerable Of attack, but upon the whole
people Of the North. 10 bring loss and dis
aster upon their industrial and business IN
terests.
To such a conflict Mr.. Reed and his com
peers would gladly welcome the people OF
the South.
The delinquencies Of the Republican
party. past and present. would beput aside
and solid South would be quickly con-
fronted by "a solid North.
The Republican leaders who since the
fateful day at Appomattox have always
gone forth 10 victory when they could rally
their forces along the lines of sectionallsm
would be thus enabled To call the people
again away from the consideration OF great
questions OF public policy and the record
Of their partv's crimes. and presenting the
solid South in its new attitude of menace
TO northern prosperity as the supreme con-
sideration Of the hour-in that sign would
conquer.
Our policy, therefore, il would seem, ~
not along the line suggested by some Of
ourmore ardent brethren of the South. but
in a manly assertion of our rights within
legitimate limits and the digniied presen-
tation of all the problems which concern
our peace 10 the thought aud conscience
of our country. Respectfully yours,
BEvERLEY b. MUyFoRD.