The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-21
nErunLIcAxasM IN THE SOUTH.

REPUBLICATION IN THE SOUths
The New York Sun has made q discoy-
cry. II learns that Eat no time since
tn close OF the civil war have .the pros
poets Of the Republican party in the
South been as bright as at present. af-
ter the large defections from the Demo-
cratic party to Populism and the in
creased development of manufactures In
the principal States south Of Mason and
Dixon's line" The Sun thinks that ito
the student nf American politics it must
seem somewhat surprising that Ken
lucky anu Maryland, two Democratic
s;rongholds, should have Republican
Governors and that in Tennessee, ut the
last Presidential election. the Republic
cans should have polled 40 per cent. OF
the total vote in the State, while they
lad &c per cent. Of it in Georgia, So per
cent. in West Virginia, 4G per cent. in
Virginia and AZ per cent. in North Caro-
llna, besides polling 167, 900 votes for Nc
Ninley and Hobart In Texas, Il State in
which the Republican vote in 1880 was
only $1,000; in 1855, $4,000, and in 1892,
| 81 600
The Cincinnati Commercial Tribune,
having read the Suns article goes fur
1 Their than its esteemed New York con-
! temporary, and announces that Repub
| licanism is "the salvation of the SOUTH"
| ana no mistake. The Galveston News,
! hcwevcr, takes occasion TO say that
what the Sun and Commercial Tribune
! together do not know about the South
would hll bulky encyclopedia. All
we'll informed people know that what
ever progress RcpdblLcanism has made
IN some of the. Southern States has been
! wholly due TO Democratic dissensions,
| growing ont of differences on the money
question, and Republican politics have
had nothing 10 do with it. In the last
! election thousands of sound money Dem
ocrats voted for Mckinley because they
had reason to believe he would take n
| iirm stand for currency reform and be
! moderate In tho execution of his pro-
lection policy. The assistance of these
Democrats enabled the Republicans to
| carry Kentucky. West Virginia, Mary
! land ana delaware. and to poll q large
vote din Texas, but 1t is very evident
that the Republicans will not be able to
! obtain this assistance again. With the
| rankest tarin law Of the country's his
tory In existence and an enormous In
crease in federal expenditures, the sound
money Democrats are convinced that It
| will In, a.,
| mcnt ut the hands OF n Republican ad-
! ministration.'
1t says and says very truly that mot
one thing has been done toward reform
! Ing the currency, except the appoint
ment OF Il bimetallic commission, who
chasing the international agreement
willie the wisp, and It would have been
much better II these gentlemen had beer
kept at home. Not IL thing has been
done TO place the revenues of the coun.
try on plane with the expenditures
but tho trusts have been granted every.
thing they desired. and the founda tior
for discomfort has been infinitely broad.
or. The taxing power OF the government
has been turned over to the trusts to
he used at will for plundering the pro-
ducers, and all the burdens which have
been crushing the people are heavier
now than ever. How this state of af-
fairs can result in the salvation of the
south ii is, hard to understand. So
lar as Republican progress in this sec
ii1n is concerned, there is no basis for
the Republican expectation that The Re-
publican figures Of The last election vii,
be cqualcd in subsequent elections. The
geld Democrats may not soon affiliate
with their free silver brethren, and
probably will not, but they will not
again be caught in political co-opera-
ton with The party that has fastened ,the
Dingicy law upon the country"
This is more like it. If the New York
sun and the Cincinnati Commercial Tri-
hune thnk that lie South is in a condi.
iion % be Rcpublicamized. they are
greatly mistaken. But what has come
over tho dreams of the Sun? Does i,
sec through 4 smoked glass, or is it part.
~ eclpsei? 1t should rise above sucb
fOOtishncss