The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-27
A VICIOUS AND UNFOUNDED ATTACK ON
THE SOUTH.

of the South" \ more correct descrip
tion would have been to call 1t "a
vicious and unfounded attack on the
| South and n defense of trusts"
We have become used to the tommy
rot dispensed by such provincial and mar
/ row men as Mr.. Thurbcr We use the
word ''provincial' adviscdly. The New
Yorker who speaks of the South in the
offensive terms employed by Mr.. Thur
Der shows that he knows nothing of it,
| and is ignorant of the topic which he is
discussing The gist of Mr.. Thurbcr :
attack upon the South is that life and
tai is not treated. fairly, that Southern
statesmen are not broad and statesman
like, but governed largely by local
environment and party traditions
Are life and property safe in the
South? AS to life, there is no portion OF
the world where life is rs safe and as
is only one exception. Men who are
guilty of rape find no protection to life.
In most of the States they are executed
by law, but sometimes when caught in
their crime they are summarily lynched.
This fact will be certain to deter all
rapists from settling in the South 1t
will ut the same time invite all men
who desire protection to their wives and
daughters to make their homes among
us. As we do not desire immigration of
the first class, the swift punishment of
rapists will do us no harm.
Is property safe? "Twenty-five million
dollars are Oh their way to- the
ern mills, railroads, mines and
| FARMS" said Il distinguished
banker in Virginia to this writer few
days ago The bonds of Southern towns
| and cities and factories and railroads are
sought after by conservative investors.
The tax rate is lower i'll the South
| than in any part of the Republic. there
are no strikes. no disturbances, and am
pie protection. In the face of these
facts. Mr.. Thurber says that instances
of Reputation ''haye given the Southern
States a bad reputation among investors
the word over This is not true. The
only men who have injured Southern
have come among us, bought mines and
railroads cheap and sold the stock and
bonds issued ut prices far beyond their
cost and value. These are the fellows
who have injured the South and most of
them, Mr.. Thulber. have been inspired
in their mine-salting and stock watering
from New York. No Southern Lcgisla-
ture has repudiated any honest debt.
Mr.. Thurber says that capital is mot
treated fairly in the South That is
as great a libel upon a just people as
was ever uttered. There is not capital
list who has invested money in the South
whose experience does not refute that
statement. The laws jealousy guard the
rights of property and the courts uphold
them. 1t is true that now and then Il
great railroad corporation that fixes it's
freight and passenger rates sufficiently
high to earn Il dividend ON $4,000 Il mile
does threaten the States il that prop
erty is assessed for taxation ut So, 900
capital is protected by not permitting the
giant corporation to dodge just taxation.
As an illustration of the failure of the
South to protect property Mr.. Thurber
instances 1.-The resolutions recently adept
ed by the Wholesale Grocers Association
of New Orleans regarding trusts" He
then proceeded to laud the trusts and
to condemn all who, like the Wholesale
Grocers Of New Orleans, oppose their
extension and destruction of opportunity
and individual success. if the South
must fail down and approve trusts to get
Mr.. Thurber's praise and he makes it
clear that opposition to trusts calls out
his criticism,it is a price we are not
ready to pay for it, even if desirable.
The third charge against the South is
that Southern statesmen as rule are
governed largely by local environment
and party Traditions That is the
charge. Now8okfd II. sa'hurber's speciieas
ton. He says:
This is illustrated by their attitude
in Congress toward the upbuilding OF IN
American merchant marine and their
shying at the word subsidy. Probably no
part of our country would be more bcne-
fitted by having American ships to distrib-
ute American goods than the South. and
yet in the past all that was necessary
was to shout subsidy and IL majority
Of Southern members of Congress would
vote against giving American ships the
support which competing nations were
giving their shipping in the effort to CON
troll the commerce of the world.'
This is high praise, though not SO in
tended, of Southern Statesmen. They
do not believe in robbing the many fol
the enrichment of the few. They stand
against subsidies of all kinds and are not
to be moved from it because men like
Mr. fIIhurbar cav thay 1.Shout'' and rid