The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-09-01
COMING TOGETHER,
THAT IS WHAT IS SAID OF THE DEMO-
CRhCY

By John Te1npls Er7oveF. oi faacTaie. WHO
ThiDks That President I5cKtuley Has
Healed All Divisions in tho Party.
John Temple Groves, OF Georgia,
writes as follows to the Atlanta
Journal:
After all the Democratic party seenos
to be indestructible. Now and then
its fortunes ebb and its mission seems
spent, but always in the hour OF its
anparent disaster, tie needs of the peo.
pie revive il, or the seltishress and
scctionsJism of the Republican party
invariably wake j: to glory again. D
The Repu blican party is exploiting
now the policies that will rally every
where tho broken battalions of Demo
cracy, and, SO far IS we are concern
ed, the Hanna administration mas
killed at 8 stroke the budding promise
OF respectable Republican party in
the South. No Republican president
since the war has fronted and tloutcd
such en- opportunity for party aggran'
iizement as has b3en presented to
William Mckinley.
The solid South was fairly waiting
TO be divided. ClashiDg convictions
on economic issues divided the people.
The currency question ran like q
wedge. irving the heart CT the section:
The tariff, now and always o local
question, had its sincere Gdherents on
either theory. The rule of ring poll
tics had rendered restless large CON
tingent OF the faithful, and not a few
of philosphic mind had reached the
conclusion that two great and nearly
equal parties were essential to better
politics in the South.
And here to this harvast Of parti-
san opportunity comes William Nc.
kinley, honest, single minded, and
esteemed above ail other Republicans
by the material interests of the south
He seemed the man of all men for
this isssion of division. In him the
man and the opportunity appeared TO
have met. And it is not strange that
so many OF the loyal" grown weary
Of recognition in the old organization,
should have risked their faith and
their future upon this we'll founded
and logical promise OF Democratic dis
integration.
If the Mckinley administration had
realized the situation if it had embrac
ed the opportunity; If it had bsen
prudent and polite, if 1t had concili
ated the south as it was wisely coun
selled to do; if it had distributed its
offices with some due and political re
gard for the grand army of the hesi'
tant I do not hesitate to assert
that ths Republican party would
have been recruited from the best
blood OF the south. It's reinforce
ment would have been mighty, and
out of these economic and financial
wrargles there would surely have
trooped g stately exodus to the prom
ised land of prosperity.
But MIR. Mckinley has flung bis
golden chance away. He has not
only failed to conciliate the south, but
he has insulted it. Under the shadow
OF his administration the men who dc
his and Mark Hanna's bidding have
perfected a selfish and sectional and
trust bleeding tariff. He has lavished
the seduction of spolls" upon the old
carpstbag and scalawag regime which
has been hovering hungry over the
southern Offices since The war. lie
hes ignored and alienated the new and
respectable element ready for change
of economic faith-and to crown il
all, he has reopened the sacrificed sore
of our body polite, rssurrec!ed en- is.
sue which time and circumstance had
soothed, and lifting high his horn OF
patronage, has emptied swarm ol
negro appointees upon the choicest
communities of the south.
1t does not profit us to discuss here
the animus of such policy. Wheth'
er it be to feather the senatorial bon
net of Mark Hanna in Ohio. whethe,
it be bid for solid black vote fo1
Mckinley in the next national con-
vention; whether it be an ebulutior
of the old desire TO humiliate the
south, the effect is the same. 1t vi
vifes the race issue into vigorous life.
1t antagoniZss the perpetually superior
race; and it once moro solidifies the
south against the party Of negro do
mination. Of course there can be
but one answer from the south to Mr.
Mckinley and Mark Hanna. To the
trust trimming protectionist and the
political negrophilis! there can be but
one response from the regsthering fol
lowers of southern Democracy.
Close the ranks, and march in solid
file to the ballot box in 1900. It does
not matter now what We have though:
about protection. 1t does not weigh
with US that we have differed honestly
on the currency. These things are
matters Of Judgment and can wait the
arbitrament of time and trial. They
are ditfe1e ences that can be and must
he compromised. But the robber rid
tariff must be riddled. The race issue
must be vindicated. The thorough
hypocrisy that forces upon this section
color of official life that would not
be tolerated in its own must be rebuk-
ed by the solid ballot OF the people it
has insulted. The issue of issues has
been raised, and il must be met as it
has always been met, calmly, firmly,
and in unbroken ranks.
We have dalied much with politi-
cal possibility during these tranquil
and seemingly economic times. We
have speculated upon division, and
looked upon new alignments without
alarm. But the black flag has been