Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-19
SOUTHERN INTEREST
Ex-Representative Skinner Favors
Breaking Party Lines,
DEMOCRATS WITH REPUBLICAN VIEWS
Believes They Should Come Out
Boldly for the President.
THE EXECUTIVES ATTITUDE

| Sive men of his state is strongly in sympa-
| thy with the idea of the south breaking
| away from its association of politics with
| the race question He believes that the in
| terests of the south and the welfare of the
| entire country can be served by the repub-
| lican party attaining responsibility in the
| south and party lines in that section being
| drawn on principles rather than memories.
| Mr. Skinner was in Washington today and
| talked freely with Star reporter on the
| subject of new republicanism in the south.
| His attention was called to the appoint,
ment of Captain Capers gold democrat.
as district attorney in South Carolina, and
to the speech of Senator McLaurin before
the Southern Manufacturers Club last
| evening.
| "A considerable element of the best men
of the SOUTH he said, believe in the poll
cies which President McKineys adminis-
| tration represents. They believe with the
administration on all the important ques-
tions of the hour, and 1 think they ought
| to stand with it. Conditions ought to be
| and can be such as to enable men of the
| south who believe as the republican party
| believes to become republicans. The pro-
| gressiye business element of the south men
VINO are In sympathy with the national pol
| Icy of the republican party, cannot be in
| nuenced by federal patronage, but respecta-
bility of association is essential to the iden-
titcation with the republican party. The
| made from among the best people of the
| communication the conservative business
| element of the old democracy, where
aVo"ed republicans are not available. The
| class OF men in the south whose views of
| national public policy coincide with the
policies of the administration is not COM
| posed of n en- who want federal office, their
| interest in patronage being merely a desire
| that the federal authority should be repre-
sented by the best class of citizens"
What do you think of McI.aurin's S
| speech?' was asked.
Should Openly Espouse RepnbIicanfsm
1T was a good speech. The only thing 1
would like to take exception to in the re-
| port which 1 read is the declaration at
trlbuted to the senator that he is content to
advocate within the democratic lines the
| policy which he believes to be best for the
| south. The policy which he advocates, end
| which is advocated by many of the best
men of the south. is that of the republican
| party, and / believe their object would be
attained with more certainty by proclaim
ing themselves as republicans and con-
| tributing their character and influence to-
ward the upbuilding of the party which
stands In the nation for the principles in
| Whlch they have faith. They think re-
publicans, and should speak as SUCH Joining
| with the President in the effort to elevate
| the party above local prejudice.
Have you Joined with the republicans?'
The Star reporter asked.
| Il voted for Mckinley at the last cleo
| ton" replied Mr.. Skinner. 'In a speech
| delivered on the 9Th of March, 1897, on the
| Dinsley tariff, l said that the republican
party had assumed the voluntary trust to
| bring prosperity, and that if they failed in
| their contract their paper would go to pro-
| test, their platform be smashed, their
! promises forfeited and that of necessity
| they must go to the wall I said that l
| was willing to assist them in reasona bic
! manner to keep their contract and to bring
prosperity, because placed the prosperity
| of the people above the success of any and
| all parties. In that speech 1 maintained
| that protection would have to be supple
| mented by free silver 16 to l, and addi-
| tional currency legislation to assure the
| prosperity which the republican party had
promised.
Promises Fulfilled.
''The logic of events and the prevailing
| conditions now existing compel me and
| other unprecedented people to candidly ad-
| NIT that the paper Of the republican party
| has not gone to protest that their platform
promises have been kept to the letter in
| an able, bold and wise execution of the
| trust assumed, and that the result is the
| prosperity of the country. l am now frank
| enough to acknowledge that 1 was in error
| on the silver question, and that the re-
publican party was wise and progressive
enough to give protection the assistance of
additional currency legislation which has
| brought about an increase of circulating
was necessary to prosperity, by other
means than the free coinage of silver, 16
to /, and has accomplished the end which
| earnestly desired, without incurring the
| hazard which we must now all admit
would have attended the independent coin
age at 16 to 1.
"My heretofore known and repeatedly. eX-
pressed views on silver have for some time
been a barrier to an open, plain and I'M
mistakable position my part to the
current issues of the day. This barrier
seems wiped away,as is now clear to all up
to-date, obSerVant minds. I was frank to
admit in the most open and substantial
| manner possible by voting for Mr. McKin-
| ley, and I believe there are thousands in
| North Carolina and in the south generally
of the very best people who realize the sit
| uation as I do and who believe in the prin-
| ciples promulgated by President Mckinley,
desiring his election, but who did not have
the courage to break with their party or
| subject themselves to the criticism of being
| outside the bourbon ranks. Since l have
| come to know President Mckinley 1 am
convinced that he is not only rich in char
acter and talent, wise and patriotic but
| that his heart beats for the welfare Of all
| sections of this country alike, and that he
anxiously desires to be a friend of the
south and will embrace any and every op-
portunity to eXemplify this by serving and
promoting her best interests.
Should Uphold the President.
| This would manifest itself more clearly
| If respectable portion of the best people
of the south would assist him by voting
| their honest convictions and sustaining
those national principles which they ad-
NIT everywhere except at the ballot box
afford the greatest protection to their
property, industries and various interests,
and are the surest and safest to promote
| the general welfare and to develop the
/ varied resources of the south. There is no
| reason or sense in the better element
north and south. voting in diametric op-
position, and it cannot be justified nor ex-
| cused except on the ground of sectional
and inherited partisan prejudices and pas
| sion."
| do you think that this time is oppor-
| tune for the development Of new political
| conditions in the south?
IT do. The well-informed and thinking
people of the south are begi anng to openly
| acknowledge that sound money, with large
and small banks of issue protection with
/ the incidental power of reciprocity gov
| ernment aid to internal improvements, the
construction Of the Nicaragua canal, a rea-
sonable and equitable ship subsidy and ex-
pansion, coupled with the purpose and
power to civilfze, are republican policies
that have a tendency to create larger de-