The evening times., 1900-10-01
RANT OF REPUBLICANS.
The Cry Against the solid south Not
Justified.


Justified.
A Democratic newspaper man in dis
cussing the political situation today said
that the Pepuulican Representatives and
newspapers are constantly prating about
the solid South and bemoaning the hard
luck of having to contend against a GER
tain massed aggregate of electoral votes.
In all the Republican forecasts which
have been made during this campaign of
the probable complexion of the next
House of Representatives it is dilated on
as matter for bitter complaint that more
than q hundred members from the South
have to be put down for the Democrats
as an absolute certainty. So I1uch has
been said on this subject that it is an ac-
tuai fact there is more or less of an i'm
preston that this condition is in some
sense an injustice. Nothing, of course
could be more remote from the truth.
Every Intelligent person knows exactly
why the South is solid knows that the
vicious and yillainous legislation of the
Republican party forces it to be solid for
its own salvation. Every Intelligent per-
son also knows if the same conditions pre-
vailed in any State of the East or the
West the white people OF such State
would act precisely as the white people Of
the South act.
But there is no call TO discuss this phase
of the question. The great point to be
noted just nova point altogether ignored
by the Repubiicans-is that there is also
a solid North 1t is true this political
solid North is not entirely composed of
States of contiguous territory This, how
ever. does not alter the fact that its cleo
toral votes and its members of the House
of ReDrese natives can be and are set
down as certain for the Republicans as
the South is for the Democrats. The num-
Der of electoral votes involved and the
number of members of the House of Rep
resentatiyes is greater than those which
are assigned te the Democrats from the
South. The truth is there have been
many more breaks in the solid South than
in this solid North. Hayes was declared
elected by the votes of Southern States in
1876, and Mckinley carried four Southern
States in 1896. Grant received the electo-
raj votes of Southern States on both of
the occasions when he was Presidential
candidate Not one OF the electoral votes
OF the solid North has been cast for 9TH
er than a Republican candidate since and
including 1860.
As to members Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives, there has been no Congress
since the civil war when Republicans
have not sat for the South. In all this
time 10 Democrats have come from the
Congressional Districts CT the solid North
So the Republicans put down as sure
without question just as many or more
electoral votes and just as many or more
members of the House of Representatives
as do the Democrats.
The solid North is composed of all the
New England States except Connecticut
with Pennsylvania. Ohio Iowa. Minnesota
Michigan, and several others which might
be named. Michigan in 1892 gave Cleye-
land three or four electoral votes. but
they were obtained through the district
system of election. With this exception
all these States are always considered as
reliably Republican as that the sun is to
shine the next day.
There are at least sixty Congressional
districts in the four States of New York
Pennsylvania. Ohio. and Illinois, which
never send Democrats TO the House The
same may be said OF two-thiris OF the
New England district, of Minnesota, and
OF Iowa
Then there are districts in Indiana.
Michigan. and Wisconsin where the Demo-
Gratis know 1t is useless to put I'D any
fight. If these States concerned have a
right to constitute themselves a solid
North. why have not the Southern States
the same privilege?
ain GDOuI ILS BGSTtSS Bi illt Soutn
having no epresentation-what repFesen-
tation have the Democrats of Maine? !?
They constitute more than one-third of
the voters, and the majority of them have
not had a man in Congress TO represent
them since they were born. The basis of
superintendent in all the New England
States except Massa chusetts is so grossly
unfair and unjust that the Democrats
might as well stay at home for any voice
they have in public affairs.
What show have the 100, Geo Democrats
Of Philadelphia? They have been grudg-
ingly conceded one member OF the United
States House of Representatives out OF
five. This year the Republican ring of
that city, with its capacity to manufac-
ture 50, 900 Republican votes. has IN pur-
su2IlCe Of the orders of Mr.. Mckinley ani
Mr. Hanna determined TO carry the dis
triet fer the Republican candidate PhiIa-
delphia polls as large q vote as many Of
the Southern States. Republican negspa-
peTs of that city unable TO stomach the
continued 0utrases upon the sanctitv OF
the ballot law. have openly engaged in de-
nouncing them. Not long since the Phil
adelphia Ledger said editorially that IL
everything stated in regard to the regis
tration and election systems of the South
was correct II was not half so bad as was
going on in Philadelphia all the time
The Republicans scarcely, if ever. make
more than a peTfunctory national cam
paign in Pennsylvania. 1t has more cleo
toraI votes than Virginia, North Carolina.
and Florida combined. It is impossibIs
for any State in any section to be more
solid than it is. Even in the almost
impossible event of the Democrats obtain
ing majority on a fair poll the Repub-
lican rings in the cities Of Philadelphia and
Pittsburg could between them manufac-
ture. with no great effort. 100 GG0 f-audu-
lent votes. Omitting Connecticut, the Re-
publicans can always count upon twenty
nine solid electoral votes from New
England as much as the combined vote of
Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and
Kentucky.
The Republican Campaign Committee is
making no fight worth mentioning in any
State East of the Delaware except New
York, with little show of pretence in
New Jersey. Why? Because it is abso-
iutefy certain of the electoral votss of all
the othe- States All of which goes TO
show it is about time to stop talking about
the solid South.
CURRENT HUMoR.