Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-10-18
NEGno avn nG puRLlc4N.
A "Reminiscences OF 1S90-Senator Quay
lom Reed and the Negro.

"Reminiscences OF 1390-Senator Quay,
1om Reed and the Negro.
The Philadelphia Record of July 1st,
1890, contained the following;
The following letter was not intended
by the writer for the columns of the
Record. But it is too good to be lost.
With apologies to our esteemed con-
temporary the Press, we give it the cur
rency it deserves:
To Editor Philadelphia Press: Great in
justice is done to Senator Quay and Speaker
Reed in regard to the Federal Election bill
IN not recognizing the indir, ct benefits
certain to follow that measure. 1t will be
no inconsiderable gain to the Republican
party to secure its full share of representa-
lives from the Southern States; but what
is more important, there is every reason to
hope that the disorders which are threat
ened will once more awaken the old spirit
of fervid patriotism, which has always
been the best inspiration of the party. A
bloody massacre now and then during a
close campaign would be worth thousands
Of doubtful votes, and, though the negroes
will doubtless suffer the most in any such
conflict, yet ''the blood of martyrs is
the seed of the church." After what
the Republican party has done for
the race few hundred of them
might we'll be sacrificed in the
good cause. Nor would disorder in the
South be in other respects an unmixed
evil. 1t would probably give occupation to
an army, now rusting in inglorious peace
and if it should be necessary TO provide
supplies, there might again be profit in
army contracts. Philadelphia was really
never so prosperous as during the war, and
our manufacturers might find compensa-
ton for the sacrifices they have lately
been Obliged to make to carry the elections
in furnishing supplies at reasonable profits
to the new regiments which will probably
be required. More important than all,
though, is the arrest of the industrial de-
velopment of the South. 1t is all very well
to rejoice in the prosperity and growth of
the new Northwest, for there sound views
| upon the tariff generally prevail, and their
| progress does not now interfere with our
selves; but the advance of the South is to a
| great extent at our expense Her cotton
mills compete with those of the New Eng
land and the Middle States, and her
furnaces are supplying pigiron at
rates which make it impossible to
run those af Pennsylvania. If the
Democrats had never been allowed to re.
gain control of the State governments OF
the South, Northern capital would never
have embarked in the development Of
Southerneoal and iron; and the surest and
| speediest way to put stop to this compe
| tltlon from men VINO are our polltlca
enemies as well as our commercial rivals
is to carry through and enforce measure:
like the Lodge Election law. They won'i
| like it, and some of them will be fool:
enough TO make trouble about it, and il
we can once more get them into the con
dition they were before 1876 we won't hea
any more about cheap iron and cheal
cotton goods from the South. They viii
have other things to think of.
1t might be that Speaker Reed ha
been building better than he knew; but
man as astute as Senator Quay has doubt
less appreciated all the advantages of til,
proposed law, aud he is quite right il
postponing the Mckinley bill for this, TO
what tariff could afford such ample pro
lection to Pennsylvania manufacturers a
to shut out the products of the cheal
negro labor of the South. PIG-IRoH.
PHILADELPHIA, June 3Qth, 1890.