The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-01

that the autocrat of the Democratic party
traitor and boodler.
The passing Of the Solid South is cur
@ conntry SOLID eopaep er ALLIANCES po
cal or religious, wherever found, North or
South, East or West, is contrary to the
genius of American institutions, a standing
menace ITO the liberties of the people. There
is room but for one compact in this coun-
try. 1t should reach from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, from the lakes to the gulf,
our fathers. Its ensign should be the Ameri-
can flag, and its security the noble hearts
If the preservation of republican institu-
tions, or the cause of human liberty ever
require II, such a compact would reach from
Bering sea to the mouth Of the Amazon.
Independence in thought and action is
essential to happiness and prosperity. The
States that have been counted uncertain in
politics have been steady in their onward
march to greater prosperity and higher
civilization. The most prosperous States
Illinois, Ohio. Indiana. Pennsylvania, New
York and Observation-Disclosures not been
solid in politics. Compare the industrial rec
ords of these States with Vermont and New
and Louisiana in the South. Every one of
these prosperous States is now in the Re-
publican column, but their remaining in
ord of the party in the present Congress.
the platform IL makes and the candidates
1T names. 1t Is this spirit of independence
on the part of the intelligent, honest voter
that guarantees the perpetuity of republic
an Institutions. 1t is in the individuality of
the--Repu bf!can-- -voter-that We find the
strength OF the party; 1t IS in the absence
of personal right that we find cause for dis
satisfaction that has ripened into disinte-
grafton. with the Democratic party. So long
as the Republican party recognizes this In
dividuality of it's members, just that long
will 1t be great party. 1t now mas the
control Of this country within easy reach,
candidate, the voice of the individual is
stified the party will go down in defeat
WHAT HAS CAUSED THE PASSING"
Unfortunately conditions of an abnormal
character have for long time existed in
the South that made possible the suppress
sion of the will OF the individual voter. 1t
is the self-assertior on the part OF the indi-
vidual voter in the South that has caused
the passing of the solid South. The pass
irg of the solid South is current event of
great moment to this whole country.
Nothing can check the passing of the solid
South except the possible but not probable
interference of the Republican party. The
solid South has pe essed beyond the control
OF the Democratic party. The two factions
OF the Democratic party in the South are
now engaged IN a war to the death. The
black flag has been raised and no quarter
is given. Old-tine Wings have come out
from their hiding places. Furnaces out Of
blast, cotton brought down below the cost
of production and labor idle have been OBJ
ject lessons more impressive than all the
arguments OF the past thirty years. White
man accusing white man of stealing his
vote has done more to purify the ballot
than any election law that could be placed
on the federal statutes. IL the Republican
party is discreet, broad and American in
its policy, IL may pick up few bargains in
the South this year. But there is no pros
pect of the South changing from a solid
Democratic to solid Republican section.
/ hope 1t will not. Twenty years of a solid
Republican South would doubtless be as
dangerous to American institutions as twen-
Nao M naVu ffa
You may ask If, in the passing of the
solid South, there is any improvement in
the purity of the ballot. / answer, emphat-
ically, yes. Ballot-box suffers have served
their day. They are no more respected in
the South than Doodle aldermen in the
North. If We have not convicted ballot-box
suffers in Alabama, we may felicitate our
selves over the fact that we have some
advantage over Illinois in that we have
bad liberal exercise of executive clemency.
l could tell you great deal about election
frauds in the South, but this is neither the
time nor the place. In the language of a
distinguished citizen of Alabama. he is a
poor reformer who, before strangers kicks
his grandmother for the gate receipts. The
evil exists, we acknowledge in sorrow, but
let us alone and we will take care OF it,
1t is going with the passing of the solid
South.
But what OF the negro? The problem is
not yet solved. 1t will never be solved by
negroes who come to national Republican
conventions for price. 1t will never be
of the South who have no aim beyond the
control of federal patronage nor by that
class of white Democrats who have no no.
bier purpose than to keep the negro in ig-
norance and poverty in order that the negro
may still be his own slave in faet-if not in
name This problem cannot be solved by
coercion. No physical forces can be COM
manded that will make the ignorant and
immoral the equal of the intelligent and
virtuous. But We are nearer a solution to-
day than we have ever been. Neither Re-
publican nor Democrat has opened the WY
but from the old slave quarters of an la
bama plantation God has brought forth a
Moses who will lead his people out. 1 re-
joce that the managers of the Atlanta
Exposition had the foresight to bring for
ward this patriot and teacher of his people
/ rejoice that you good people OF the North
sake OF my people and the sake Of his peo-
pie that no designing politician will ever
gain his confidence, and that the well-merit-
ed admiration of a nation will not turn
him from his course. God speed the noble
work of Booker Washington. He has done
more for his race than all the Republican
Office holders of the South have ever done
THE passing of the solid South is upon
US But its significance Is not sectional III
is national. 1t means that all the people are
the conservators of the Union, and that this
whole country has entered upon an era of
a greater and broader civilization. against
which no foreign power shall ever prevail"
Victims Of Dynamite.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala, Jan. 3l.--A charge
OF dynamite exploded prematurely in slope
No at the Henry Ellen coal mines TO-