The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-07-16
THE PROBABILITY OF THAT NEW
REPUBLICAN, PARTY'S SUCCESS.

Representative Livingston. Of Ga, is
an able, honest democrat. He is not
a straddler nor a kicker nor a half-in-
half, we hope, but a perpendicular,
true, ~unbending democrat. We are
glad to believe that he is not a repub-
lican in disguise, like some others who
claim to be democrats. He thinks the
republican party will receive many re-
cruits in the south, n they will be
the bankers. railroad men, cotton
manufacturers and others interested in
big business enterprises in the south
who are some who believe in the pol
icies of the republican party. They
believe in protection. expansion and
liberal expenditure for public improve
ments, and a policy for the develop
ment OF industries and the extension of
trade and commerce" No fair, just
man will for a momen censure them
for going to the party they prefer. In
dependence and honesty Of convictions
are to be applauded always. But the
thing TO be condemned and the course
to be Stunned is to mold republican
principles. and yet pretend to be dem
ocrats. That would be mean and hyp-
ocritical and dastardly. Be something
and know what 1t is. Be either fish,
fowl, or good red herring" 1t is not
wrong to make Investigations and to
have an honest Change of heart" Men
who study and think are frequently
seeing truth in a new light. and many
are forced con%scientiously to abandon
ar old view. But honest. candid men
do not pretend to still hold the old
view. There are lots" of alleged dem
ocrats who nave never been democrats
at all. They affiliated merely with
democrats indeed for white mans sue
cess and dominancy. They can go to
surrender of principles. But while con-
tinuing to wear the name Of democrat
they should be careful not to be advo-
1cating plain republican dogmas and
principles. That brings suspicion and
contempt when ever 1T is tried, be the
man small or great.
Mr.. Livingston does not think that
NAAS ASPuOAA@oi IoA oil v c DC ~ lLlC
majority in the south. That is true
until the noble breed" of democrats
is extinct and traders and and
ofice-seekers take their places and
manages matters. If the republican
party a control again the negro vote,
with the heavy recruiting of republi-
cans now training as democrats, (such
a.. %Io N-5;,ar,, ,,.,o1;+;o. a-l x
ment,) it might come to pass in 1904,
that many southern states could be
carried by the republican candidates
for the presidency and state Offices.
In that event, they still controlling the
north. would have it all their own way.
and woe be it to the south. Then i'm
perialism and all it means may be
much nearer at ham than many per-
sons have supposed. Eliminate entire
ly the negro vote, and the republican
party might possibly get control, for if
the negroes are completely silenced
there are possibly tens of thousands of
men who in the past have co-operated
altogether, or in part. with the de-
mocracy who would go over bag and
baggage into the old cruel party of
Lincoln and Seward and Stanton and
Morton and Blaine they once hated.
and be very happy at last. In that
result they may fall in love with Ma
rion Butler and send him Jack to the
senate. The new republican party
may possibly hav a big thing in the
future. but it will not be because Gen.
eral Butler, the disappointed. and Nc
Laurin, the topper, n Herbert have
started the game now. But all this
depends upon several things, the two
most important of which being first,
the practical suppression Of negro in
fluence in politics in the south, and,
second, the fidelity of the republican
party henceforth to gold. and protec-
ton and trusts. Mr.. Livingston says,
as reported in the Charleston News and
Courier:
THE south has been struggling along
for Years trying to build up it's indus
tries. and there exists a strong senti-
ment in favor of the encouragement of
the industries which have been and are
being developed. Our people have seen
other sections of the country enjoying
roSper1ty under the protection which
has been given to their products. ]
think / see a tendency within the re-
publican party to modify the protec-
ton policy and this may counteract
the development Of republicanism in
the south. Protection sentiment in the
south must be a large factor in making
republicans of men, who. while believ-
ing in republican policies, have been
associated with the democratic party,
and if the republican, party abandons
or modifies its protective policy that
might counterfeit what would be gain
ed by that party by the gradual elm
ination of the negro question"