The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-03

Industrial Improvement Coupled with
Political Decentralization.


Letter from A. K. Mcclure in Philadelphia
Times.
While the general industrial condition of
the South is materially improving, the DO
litical decentralization of this section Is more
general to-day than at any time in the
history of the country. The industrial con-
ditions are now improving from the bottom,
among the small ma rin VINO are ea Inc
in any community. The farmers are grad
ually learning to diversity their products
and to understand the small economies
which are necessary to the success OF the
masses of the people. The many booms
which seemed to start prosperity at the
top in this region have run their course
and left a broad swath of desolation. but
now the Southern people appear to be start
ing on sound basis. While some of the
cities and towns are in decay, the small
and that means substantial prosperity to
the Southern States. There Is little to in
vite capital in great enterprises in the
South, because OF the uncertainty of South
ern credit, but as the small producers learn
how to create wealth the Southern States
must steadily advance in prosperity and In
the best methods of making their labor
most productive.
The present political decentralization
throughout the Southern States is entirely
unexampled in the history of the Republic.
There has been more or less political de-
moralization ever since the era of recon
struction. when the carpet Dagger and the
adventurer schooled the ignorant colored
race to/idleness and theft. That rule con-
tinuedT until the credit of the Southern
States was utterly destroyed and little left
thus ruling they gave high example in the
pollution and perversion of the ballot.
When Overthrown. as was inevitable from
the utter prostitution Of power. the whites
again became political masters, and they
proffted by the methods taught by the car
pet Dagger to mold elections as leaders de-
the elements Of prosperity Of Of the South ex-
cepting labor. and for twenty years have
ingeniously and systematically suppressed
the colored vote. and were generally sue
of the colored race.
The race lines could not be a perpetual
and ambition of men. With the Earring
conflicts of ambition finally came universal
industrial and business depression. and
their old moor.ngs. While the South does
not produce dollar of silver, the free silver
craze has swept 1t like wildfire, and instead
of two great parties in the South, to day
there are three distinct political organiza-
tions, and 1t is doubtful under present con-
ditions which would carry the majority of
rent the Democracy in twain. and the Re-
publicans, long the under dogs with moth
ing to hope for In politics but to fashion
and to obtain the fedora; Offices when the
party succeeded to power, are ready for
anything that promises to win.
Hitherto the South has had but one party
at time that suffered from general de-
moralization, but any intelligent observer
who has studied the present political condi-
tons of the South would be compelled to lie
awake at night to determine whether the
Democrats, Republicans or PopulIsts of the
South are plunged most deeply into the mre
Of Generalization. There Ia not a single
State in the South under present conditions
that Is certain 10 vote for the Democratic
candidate for President next November. The
majority OF them, or all OF them, may thus
vote. but united South at the next election
Is quite improbable and IL is certainly
among the possibilities that between the
Republicans and the Populists all the South
ern States may be lost 20 the Democracy.
The Republicans have been kicked and
cuffed as helpless minority for many years.
and, being largely made up Of the classes
which have little respect for conviction, are
logically ready for any combination that
promises victory and plumber. and the DEM
ocrast are SO greatly demoralized on the is
sue of cheap money that very large proper
ton, IL not majority OF them, to-day would
prefer Republican President 10 a Democrat
who maintained a sound financial system
This condition may be improved before the
meeting OF the Democratic national conven-
ton, but there is great need of Improvement
cratic supremacy In the reconstructed States
The first expression OF Southern sentiment
on the money issue will be given by Ala
bama within the next month, when the Dem
ocratic State convention will nominate the
candidate for Governor and other State ON
GERS and eject delegates to Chicaeo- Tho