New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-16
A POLITICAL REVOLUTION.
GROWTH OF REPUBLCANISM THROUGHOUT
THE UPPER SOUTH.
EXAMINING THE RECORD OF RECENT ELECTIONS
AND TIE CEYsUs-FACTs THAT WILL
AsroxIsu REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS ALIKE.


DEMOCRATS ALIKE.
~ ana Fditor Of TT Tribune
Cir. The Republican managers Of Presidential cam
,e have been so fully convinced that all the iorOc
and froud needed TO keep the sixteen late slave o'cS
IN the Democratic column would DO unheSilauusS
uscd that they have not made vigorous contest III any
Of them since 1876 This has made the struggle Noiy
preoual for in the North, where both partes nave
free field the Republicans have had TO secure ~
electoral votes while their opponents needed only 49,
That the Republican party is in bad shape al uhe
North Is nainfully apparent and, II the campaign Oh
1soo i 10 be tonight exclusively old lines ana py
old managers and mcthods-the Democrats being con-
coded the same territory In advance-that party cali
didate can safely write his Inaugural message o. soo
az he is nominated. 1t is true that the as OOneles'
made ON the whole, splendid record, but nhder OK
ispp circumstances will be difficult TO convince
majority of those whose votes Will be couh'eu III
aoo of that fact To inrench simply the party on its
racord and act on the defensive, would tercloio'
invite. If not insure, disaster A forward movement
has become an imperative necessity. The enemy muS1
he attacked where he lives" In politics rs ~ war
assaults should be made on the weakest parV VI 'no
rnosinp lines and as surprising as the statement may
appear to some 1t can be proved-not merely hsSeroi
lint proved-that the weakest part OF the Denoo"Ue
une is ifs generally supposed Gibraltar the sohd
South" ~.
Texas is the only Southern State that is surely Demo
cratic With really free vote and fair COUNT ioilo"
ing a proper canvass. all the others-hissoufl al"
Arkansas possibly excepted-would give ueclueu t'o
,,r,Iican maforIties 'Yesn replies the pessimlst,
ht roud be the case II we could get the black vote
counted but We cannot" Mr. Pessimist has Simply
accented the idea prevalent among Northern kepuD-
ucans that the strength and hope Of the party III te
south IS in the black vote and that the Southen poO
LEM is how to get that vote cast and counted some
men have told them differently, but they nave hsuehsi
with closed cars, and I'm consequence the party -
now In dire peril / say in consequence BECAUSE
b nronor effort several Southern States could have
been carried in 195S-and If they mad peen, CoD,
grcssional action would not have been so tardy ana
incomplete nor last years election so one-sded'
That the Republican party did right when 1t en-
franchised the Blacks and should be buried tace uo"-
ward II IL ever refuses to do what IL can TO enable lhe
land everybody else to enjoy their civil and pohcai
rights. assert as unqualihedly and heartily MS any
one can Moreover, it is true that the blacks VINO
are almost universally Republicans land cannot be
ANYTHING else while Democrats insist on keeping up
race issue) constitute an actual majority In tree
States and nearly onehalf in three more, yet IL Is
equally true that at present. they are source OF weak
ness instead Of strength, to the Republican parry
throughout the South
Nevertheless, that section can be divided at the
next election provided its white people are relied upon
and properly helped-to do the work. 1t VIII be
neither right nor necessary to anagonizo nor even 70
ignore tho blacks, but it must be made very clear at
the Republican party is not "a black mans party OF
"a white mans party "a southern party" or a
Northern party" but that it is an enemy OF secuoha
ism and Of everything that tends 20 degrade any pOr
ton of the people, or that makes it more difficult for
poor men TO better their condition. that, In short, 10
aims to secure to every American both at home and
abroad ell his natural rights, and by all proper
means TO help each and all TO secure just snre OF
the good things of life. Above and before everything
else it must be "National" with a large ~" ana
American" with large a." On these lines which
every Republican ought to ndorse six Southern States
can certainly be carried next year, and probably eght
provided no precious time is wasted.
1t Is important to note that there are, in reality
two "souths.o | DO not mean the Old South and
the New about which we hear much vague and
often misleading talk (and gusD, but REFER 10 geo
graphical divisions that be properly styled the
| Upper South" and the Lower south DclaWaIe'
MARYLAND the two Vrginias, North Carolina, Ten
nessee Kentucky ana Missouri constitute the Upper
and South Carolina, Florida, Alabama Mississippi,
| Iouisiana Arkansas and Texas the Lower section.
The thrty-fh parallel is about the line of Division
Climatlcally and In other respects, the eastern
! mart of North Carolina and the western part cl
Tennessee belong to the Lower South, and the DorIh
ern portion OF South Carolina Georgia ana Aapllna
| 10 the Upper, but the nearest possible poillc@
| division is the one named These sections diner 50
|
trial interests political history, social sentiment TFcla
and other pecatles that they need to be considered
separately.
six of the eight States which compose the Lower
South are undoubtedly Republican, and another prob
ably is but the party has long bcen losing ground IN
all of them and has little or no organization in any
There are two principal reasons for this condition OF
| affairs The blacks constitute 52.2o OF the popula
lion of the eastern six and because OF that fact the
Democrats have been able 20 force race Issue to the
front and substantially to soidify the whites while
| the more bitter portion Of the eXConfederate emil
grants from other States hive flowed into the Other
two in an unceasng stream ever since the war; II
is therefore, apparently impossible to make any head
way I'm that section at this time and the situation Is
| not likely TO improve materially for some years.
Fortunately the situation Is very different in the
Upper south, and the Republican party has not only
maintained an organization. but has for dozen years
made steady gains I'm all Of the states OF which II l.
composed. Finding most men unable or unwilling q
accept ordinary proof Of this subject have prepared
set of tables and maps. based on the last four Presi
Dental elections and the last two censuses, that dem
onstrate the correctness Of the following propositions
/. That throughout the Upper south the Republican
| marty is most aggressive and strongest where tn
| whites are most numerous.
Q That 1t has made large gains in all sections Il
which the blacks constitute only small percentage
| the population
q That the Democratic gains OF any Importance hav
been confined TO black counties.
A. These propositions not true merely In one Of
two states, but in the entire eight
g. Nor do they only apply to a couple Of selected
dates. but cover twelve years-four consecutive Ma
tional elections.
The vast area and long period covered make thu
proof approximately demonstrations IL should als'
he remembered that these heavy gains have been made
over this immense tract OF country and in four sue
| ccssve National campaigns in the face Of difficulties
that must have discouraged all but the stoutest hearts
and that they establish Irresistible presumption tina
the party must be much stronger than its vote indi
catos The COURAGEOUS the truly noble men VIII,