Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-02-28
Has Southern StatesHsaHshiP Degen-
Grated

dinner on the 22i, the opinion that the
Southern statesmen OF the present time are
pigmies compared TO those Of ante bellum
DAYS. and that the States which former y
sent great scholars aud political philOso-
Pliers to Congress are now represented by
ignorance and incapacity-and this in spite
of the fact that Southern men who have
settled IN New York aud elsewhere have
made their way TO the front and established
a title 10 leadership. These assertions Mr..
Hewitt steadfastly declines to explain away,
only insisting that be meant no ofense and
thar he spoke as a friend Of the South.
Can these statements be successfully
conroveried? r is best to look facts in the
face. Sir. Hewitt Of course does no, include
all the representatives Of the South in biz
indictment, and he does not say that brains
and intelligent study Of economic problems
are wanting in the SOuth,-says TO the con-
,rary. perhaps. But isn't il The truth that
The New South-lhe South Of enterprise
and progres~. liberal and practical and mol
lacking. We trust, the spirit and sense Of
honor and purity of motive that character
lied the Old-is not adequately represented
At Washington? Isn't il true that there hAs
been deterioration in Southern statesman
ship, not only since the earlier days OF the
Republic, but within The past twenty
Eve years. or even les ? The men who were
efficient in the period Immediately follow
fng the war do not manure up 10 the
demands Of the changed aud improved
conditions Of 10 day They have not kept
up with the proeession-many Of them
They lag supelfuou- on The stage. Their
leadership inspired confidence in the trying
times Of war; they we're bold and adrOit
and successful when Southern society VS.
20 be rescued from carpet-bag domination /;
they we're superb when their section Wa
the object Of malignant sltsck and per,is
tent Misrepresentation, in Senate and
House but in these times of Pesee and
good will and progress, when great ecnno
mic questions are TO be considered and the
course Of legislation is TO be governed by
sound principles and not by expediency,
they prove unequal to their part.
Within q short period We have seen
Southern Senators and Congressmen, once
brave in battle. once eloquent in defence Of
an oppressed and msligned people, weaken
81 the outcry Of sudden uprising Of Wis
iouaries. crAnks snd demagogues in COM
mon cause, embrace 4b>urdities Of pater-
nalism and all financial unsoundness, and
abandon safe snd tried principles, reverence
for the constitution, and the real interest
Of their constituents. We have seen men
who, for the sake Of principles that they
believed in, helped TO break the sacred ties
that bound The States together, submitting
with pathetic meekness 10 The moih-eaien
shackles Of Senatorial tradition and actually
upholding, BY voice and vote, thst thing
for laughter, feers snd jeers" called Senate
rial courtesy. We have seen men once
deemed capable Of rising sbove every per-
sonal consideration for their eountry's sake,
willing % discredii Democratic admins
tration and TO impair Democratic unity for
the qualification Of petty spite. We have
seen these sane representatives. indulge the
vanity Of iuierminsble speechmsking, OF
oostruct legislation BY every dilstory device
when the country MSS crying out for action.
We have seen-we now sse-siStesmen, who
for a generation have denounced the robbery
Of unnecessary taxation and demanded that
trade be IN e,,rr-d, combining With the
representatives Of Northern interests 10 de-
feat the fu.hmcnt OF party pledge, emascu
late the tariff reform bin. and secure pro-
lection. each for a small class Of bis OVID
constituents.
Il may be that all Of these charges would
apply 10 only few individuals. but III
older southern members as a class are cor
rec,iy characterized, We believe, aud g. =
cla>s must plead guilty 20 the rugged Nv
York siatesmsn's sweeping Indictment
Their course has been such as 10 stamp
Southern craftsmanship with the character
Of Bnurbonism, arrogance. petiiness. uu-
souudness. II The South viii have It's old
time power ia national polltic- il repreSer-
talives must be sbresst Of the times. No
man ought 10 expect 70 be continued in
public Efe merely because he has once been
servierab'e. The once holored and valu, q
statesmen Of the South must not depend
upon their record Of former usefulness and
upon occasional spuus Of patriotic elo-
ouence They must catch up with The pro-
cession and keep up, or yield their influence
70 the honorable exceptions among their
number who have kept pace with the cOun-
try's progress. and to those younger and
rising men who have learned well the prin-
ciples that guided The giest statesmen Of
the pasi and are wise enough 10 apply them
90 the needs Of the present.
One OF the several 81 called Independent
and non-sectionsl newspapers Of Washing
ton. referring 70 General Early's recent
accident. says the General never did any
great amount Of fighting but wss a great
Splinter" Much of General Esrlys