The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-06
The South Invaded

I
seeIn to be impressed with the idea that the
south would not remain solid very long if
they could be brought into contact with
/ her. A member Of one Of the clubs is re-
ported to ave said: "The Republican
party has no standing in the south for the
! reason that the southern people have never
/ had a chance 70 see a representative gath
! ering Of republicans from all over the
/ country. They have formed their impressions
| of the party from the local material, and it
must be admitted that in most cases that
material is pretty bad. If we can convince
| the southern people that there is a large
aristocratic element in the Republican party
we will gain good many converts"
This admission that the southern wing of
the Republican party is composed Of very
| poor material will hardly be rel shed by
southern republicans. In view Of
this admission the northern repub-
licans ought not TO feel unkindly
toward southern people for not having
any higher regard for the southern wing
of the republican party than they them
selves have, or for failing to seek any closer
fellowship in politics with it. 1t seems,
however, that these republican clubs regard
themselves. as aristocrats, and they hope to
make converts of southern democrats by
their aristocratic bearing, manners, and
br eeding. They are pulled up with the
notion that the southerners will be mighty
glad to be in their company when they see
what a high-toned and high-bred set of fell
lows they are.
1t must be admitted that the plan of these
republican, clubs for breaking the solid
south is a rather novel one, but it is prefer
able to that of some of the republican
leaders-Ingalls, Chandler, and others
who demand the enactment Of federal
election laws and the estab ishment of re-
turning boards. No doubt they will be on
dress parade while they are in the south,
and it is pretty certain that they will make
very good impression. They will GER
tainly be kindly received, as all respectable
and self-respecting people are who visit the
south. They will find that the southern
people are not as Ingalls,, Chandler
and Others have pictured them,
but are kindly and courteous, and are as
ready to welcome the aristocratic element
of the republican clubs as they are to give
a warm grasp of the hand to visiting Ohio
farmers.
These republican clubs, however, do not
seem to be as well informed as they ought
to be as 60 political matters In the south
since the war. Mr.. Thurston, the president
Of the clubs, in his speech opening
the convention, said that il the
south were dominated by the
Republican party an immense impetus
would be given to her industries. He
thought that Nashville might now be as
great as Chicago or Buffalo if democracy
had not stifled the natural enterprise of the
southern people. 1t is clear that Mr..
Thurston is greatly in need of few facts
about the south. He ignores the fact that
the present prosperity of the south is due to
| the energy and enterprise of the southern
people, and he conveniently forgets that for
several years the Republican party had
control of about all of the southern states,
and that it paralyzed commerce, agriculture
and enterprises of every kind, and
brought the whole south to the brink
of ruin. Mr. Thurston. if he is a sincere
and honest man, ought to post himself as to
what would be the effect on the south of
the supremacy of the republican party in
the southern states before asserting that re-
| publican rule would be beneficial to the
south. 1t is evident that he is ignorant.
He may know all about politics in the wild
west, but he has everything to learn about
| politics in the south.