St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-29
THE BEST ANTIDOTE.

Prof FITZPATRICK, of Gainesville,
Ga, who attended the national educa-
tional convention held in this city dur
ing the early summer, publishes letter
giving the result of his observations in
his Northern trip, in which he says:
my opinion is that the best way to
bring the North and the South together
is to have them go freely among each
other and talk matters face to face.
When the masses understand each
other better confidence and friendship
will result
This is unquestionably the best anti
dote for sectionalism. Personal con-
tact removes many wrong impressions
which grow up when people are separa-
ted far apart. There must be asSocia-
tion in order to cement fraternal bonds.
And yet it is queer condition of affairs
when the people of any section of our
common country look upon the people
of another section not only as strangers,
but as aliens. In this age of intelli-
gence, when all humanity is rapidly
drifting into brotherhood. it is an
anomaly of American citizenship that
the people of the North and of the South
should hold each other in more distrust
than do the people of separate national
tiles.
The lingering prejudices of a civil
war that really belonged to a former
generation has something to do with
this unnatural condition of American
citizenship. But the ones most to
blame for it are the political dema-
gogues of the Tom REED school. who
find sectionalism to be profitable cap
ital in the trade of politics and proceed
to use it,regardless of the injury that is
being inflicted upon national interests.
The North and the South, the East
and the West are all essential to the
general veal and national prosperity,
one as much as another. Yet there are
matters of purely local concern belong
ing to each section with which the 9TH
ers have no right to interfere, and if
the people of the whole dountry could
once be persuaded of this fact the yoca-
ton of the demagogue would be gone.
Hence the value of personal intercourse
between the people of the North and
the South, as has been suggested by
Prof. FITZPATRICK. When the South
erner visits the North he acquires a
knowledge of our local affairs that he
did not have before. And so it is when
the Northern man visits the South. He
sees and hears the local situation as the
people of that section understand it.,
and he comes back home with MANY a
wrong impression removed.
The numerous national conventions
of one sort or another that have been
held within the last few years have
been of great advantage in restoring
unity between the sections and in Guilt
waiting a feeling of patriotism. The
representatives of the various interests,
industrial, religious and educational,
have been brought in contact, and have
talked over sectional differences face to
face. The result is that there is a bet
ter understanding and a better friend
ship established. The national educa-
tional convention held here in July was
largely instrumental in the good
work of obliterating sectionalism. The
national editorial convention to be
held here next summer will perform
still more important service In this d.
rection. And thus in time st. Paul
may have the distinction of being the
Bethesda where all our national all
ments are to be healed. Standing here
at the head of navigation of the great
river upon whose bosom the commerce