The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-24
The Boycott Proposition.

as Gov. Gordon should have Endorsed the
suggestion TO boycott northern merchants
and manufacturers in the event OF the pas
sage Of the force bill. The Atlanta Journal
claims to have fist suggested the boycott
plan, and day or two ago SAID that il was
quickly Endorsed by the Charleston Ne,rs
aud Courier and the Jack son-
vile Times Union. Gov. Gordon,
however, did not indorss it.
at least publically, until last Monday. when
he sent dispatch TO the New y ork Herald.
The dispatch has attracted a good deal of
attention in the north, and the leading
journals there, friendly TO the south,
strongly condemn the boycott proposition,
and our dispatches from Washington show
that it meets with no favor among demo
cratic senators and representatives.
The New York Herald, speaking of the
boycott proposition, SAYS;
If there is anything that would insure the
passage of the force bill by an overwhelm-
ing pressure of northern sentiment it would
be the threat that unless northern people
voted according TO the dictates of southern
politicians the southerners would not buy
their goods There is something SO merce-
nary In the suggestion, something so gro-
tesque that it is difficult to treat it with
seriousness.
The Herald says that nothing would do
so much to make every northern and
western state go republican as clear I'M
Outstanding that southerners meant to in
troduce boycotting into their politics.
The New York World says:
The proposal is utterly no1sensicaI. II it
could be carried out it would harm instead
of helping the strong and determined north
ern opposition TO all that the force bill repre-
sents. But the boycott is wholly impossible
| Human nature vetoes it. The complexity
of trade relations constitute an irresistible
| force i'll opposition. Men buy where they
can buy cheapest and sell where they can
get most for their goods, and they will,
unless prevented by law, go on doing so to
ths end OF time.
The Charleston NeUs md Courier denies
that it ever approved the boycott plan. 1t
says:
Wedo not regard the boycott plan as a
practicable one, and do not think it should
be adopted If it were practicable, for the
reason that it would punish our friends
and enemies in the north indiscriminately,
and ourselves probably more than either,
and would not reach atal the immediate
and responsible supporters of the infa-
aimed. AS we have said before, the south
is dependent on the northern manufact-
urers for nearly all the manufactured
goods and products it needs, and this being
the case to attempt to assert cur independ-
ence would only result in certain and
ridiculous failure.
1t the southern people wanted the force
bill to become law they could do nothing
that would help 50 much to accomplish
that object as to threaten the northern
people with the boycott 1t is the under
standing now that the sentiment among the
business men of the north is against the
bill, and it is quite certain that this senti-
ment is daily growing stronger. The
northern and western papers show that
republicans as well as democrats
are speaking out strongly against
the bill. If these business men
are told that they are o be boycotted if the
force bill becomes a law, the friendly feel
ing they now have will give way to one of
resentment. Friends will be turned into
enemies, and the politicians who want the
force bill for purposes Of their own will find
themselves supported by solid north.
They would want nothing better than that.
continued control of the government. 1t
would be matter of no consequence to
them then if they did not get a single
electoral vote or a single congressman from
the south.
But every man who gives the matter a
moments thought knows that the BOYCOTT
plan could not be carried out, and that if it
could be the south would be injured fully
as much as the north if not more Those
who think otherwise have very little under
standing Of tho dependence of the two sec.
lions upon each other 1t is true that the
south is a customer of the north, but it
must not be forgotten that our fruit
growers, truck farmers, cotton planters.
mine owners, and even manufactures. find
a great market in the north, and if the
business relations of the two sections should
be interrupted the south would not be in a
position altogether comfortable and de-
sirable.
However, there is not the remotest posi-
bility of the boycott plan being adopted,
and, therefore, there is no occasion for dis
cussing it. There is, however, something
which the business men of the south can do
to prevent the passage of the force bill
They can individually and through their
commercial organizations show the bust
ness men of the north that the
passage of the bill would be hurtful to their
interests as well as to the interests of the
business men of the south, and in that way
create a sentiment in the north against the
bill that would command the respect and
Influence the action of the republican sena-
tors. The Savannah Board of Trade has
already adopted this plan, at the suggestion
of the MORNING NEWS, and if other com
mercial organizations in the south will fol-
low its example the probabilities are that
so strong sentiment will be created in the
north against the bill that the Senate will
not even consider it.
Indiana and Her White Caps.