The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-04-23
THE PRESIDENTS WELCOME.

and profitable lesson from his tour
through the South. He is met at every
turn with the most lavish hospitality
and welcome. Cities vie with each
other in doing him honor, and the re-
ceptions accorded him are certainly as
elaborate and magnificent as he or his
friends could hope for. 1t is his first
visit to the South, the first time he has
mingled with Southerners on their ma
tive heath, or broke bread with them.
If he were a Democrat he would not
receive more profuse welcome. An
drew Jackson himself would scarcely
be greeted in more elaborate manner,
Or honored more highly. 1t is doubt
full if President Harrison has met with
grander ovations in any of his tours
through the North. He may have en-
countered greater crowds, because OF
the larger cities, but in proportion to
population, he will probably find no
where during the present swing round
the circle, more generous hospitality
or enjoy more generous welcome.
He will learn much about the South
that he knew OF only imperfectly or
perhaps not at all. He will find peo-
pie magnanimous. hospitable and brave.
He will find that the war is over. He
will find the two races living and work
ing together in harmony, and with far
less friction than exists between the
mine owners Of Pennsylvania and their
paid employees. He will find that the
race problem is far more-so far as it is a
problem at all-of a sociological than
of political character, and one there
fore, that must of necessity work out its
own solution all the sooner if unvexed
or unimpeded by political interference.
He will find new South such as Henry
Grady's burning eloquence made known
to the people of the North, a South that
rich in the wealth bestowed by nature
and bountiful providence, is devoting
its best energies to material growth and
prosperity. The smoke of unnumbered
chimneys from Atlanta TO San Antonio
Will testify 10 that fact in the plainest
terms. 1t is an object lesson that the
chief executive can not but profit by.
He will find an earnest desire among
our progressive people to widen the
scope of their energies by breaking
down the trade barriers that keep them
to a great and harmful extent out OF
the markets of the world. The evil
dences of this praiseworthy spirit he
will find on the gulf coast, as well as in
various commercial and industrial con-
ventions held from time to time in the
West and South.
Another thing he will find, and that
is the absence of the bitter sectional
and political animosity commonly sup
posed by Northern Republicans to pre-
vail to an alarming extent in the South.
He will find that the partisan spirit in
VIC ECOllJl ID ltSS IdlCOIOIS Illdu Ill
his own state of Indiana where in BIZ
ennial elections the spirit OF faction be-
tween the two parties glows at white
heat, and partisanship well nigh runs
mad.
The people of the South honor Presi-
dent Harrison as the chief executive of
the nation, and it is only natural to in
fer that he will regard a people so
kindly and generously disposed towards
him, so ready to do him honor and to
strew flowers in his way, as patriotic
and attached to the institutions of their
country. People who look sourly on
their rulers, and detest the laws under
which they live, do not shower honors
on those same rulers when visiting
them. The people of the South respect
the constitution as much as they of
Maine or Massachusetts. They are as
well disposed to obey the law of the
land and to honor him who executes
the law, as are the people of any North
ern state. Conscious, therefore OF their
own integrity, upright purposes and
good intentions, they resented the i'm
putation that they were otherwise, and
that they deserved TO be robbed OF the
right of freemen, the right
to conduct their own elections. They
opposed warmly and bitterly the intro
duction of Federal mercenaries to man.
age and control their elections for
them, not because it was undemo-
cratic, but because it was unjust, hui
and degrading.
1t is hoped that the president will
learn their true character while among
them, which if he does, will teach him
the folly OF force bills in governing a
high spirited people.