The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-02-27


fifteen years ago cannot fail to re-
mark the wonderful change that has
lately come over Henry Waterson, ed
itor Of the leading newspaper of the
South. the Courier-Jouinal. Time was
when no fair-minded person could read
Mr.. Watersons articles or hear his
public utterances without losing all
patience. Some of the meanest and
most unjust things said about North
ern men. and especially those promi-
nent during the war period, came from
Mr.. Waterson. Yet this same Mr..
Waterson was an honored guest at the
last annual New England dinner In
New York, and q few days ago, In
Chicago, he delivered one OF the most
beautiful eulogies ever pronounced on
the motives and character Of Abraham
Lincodln. A correspondent of one OF
the leading eastern dailies, now travel>
ing through the South, sends the fol-
lowing account of a talk had with Mr..
Waterson in Louisville; Mr.. Waterson
does not hesitate to describe the break
In the South as permanent one. He
speaks Of it as a result which was des-
tined to occur as soon as the Republi-
can party met the Southern people.
with its policies in one hand and the
olive branch in the other" AS soon
as the race question. which has hung
over the South as a menace since the
Reconstruction days, was removed, the
Solid South was broken. 1t VIII remain
broken unless a Republican congress
bv the revival of federal elections bills
attempts to fuse 1t together again, and
that is most unlikely. The Republican
marty, according to Mr.. Waterson, has
,hecome more moderate and conserva-
tive ON all public questions than 1t has
been. and with the race question out OF
the way, Southern men will divide on
party lines naturally and according TO
their interests and convictions. The
defeat Of the Force bill and the repeal
OF the Federal Election laws have
brought other Republican policies to
bear directly upon the South, where
they are exerting attractive forca
While the Republican party now seems
to have the better chance Of carrying
the next presidential election, many
things may intervene to change the
situation. That election win, mques-
tionabiy, turn upon financial questions
rather than the tariff. That protection
has been gaining ground in the South
Mr.. Waterson frankly admits. New
recruits for that cause spring up from
the introduction of manufactures and
he diverslncation of industries. Cot
ton manufacturing in his judgment
win be removed inevitably from New
England to the cotton belt, where there
are superior facilities for carrying Il
on economically. In like manner he
anticipates the transfer OF the iror
industry from Pennsylvania to Ten
nessee ana Alabama, With it's mex.
haustible supplies Of cotton, coal, iron
and timber. the South has oil the raw
materials required for successful COM
petition with the North in manufactur-
ing. It is destined to become the man
ufacturlng center Of the country. These
changes in the industrial order are In
evItable, and win involve naturally a
shifting OF opinion on economic Ques-
tIons. Aided by the proverbial zeal of
new converts. protection may yet find
its strongest support where industries
are newest-that is, in the South.
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