The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-01-24
WISE AND TIMELY.
THE SOUTH AND THE DEMOCRACY. "
A Strong and ForCible Article by
Capt. S. A. Ashe, Former Editor of
the Raleigh News and Observer.

to make some observations anent
YOUR editorial OF the goth on The
South and the Democratic Party?
The suggestion OF the article is that
it may be desirable to choose the
President by the popular vote-as to
which much can be said to the mega
tive. But / do not ask to discuss
that guestion-only to examine some
Of your allegations, and some Of your
reasoning. Because the South re-
mains solidly Democratic, and the
North will not become Democratic
therefore Presidential elections should
be on manhood basis. For myself
| would greatly prefer that the North
should break up little and be-
come in part Democratic. OF that.
however, | have but little hope. The
majority OF the Northern people are
Republican and have been so for 40
years, and fear will remain so hun
dred wears more. OCOnnOr once said
a gentleman never changes his re-
ligion or his politics. He probably
but repeated an old saying based on
the adherance OF Jacobin families to
their traditions Yet the sentiment
is not stranger to the American
breast We are born and bred in our
political and religious faiths. And
the ma iority of the Northern people
are and have been and will continue
to be Of the Republican faith; as at
the South a majority of the whites
are Of the Democratic persuasion. At
the North there is a power or in
fuence fixing the Republicans in their
party ties based on their opposition
to and disapprobation of Southern
action, and | suppose many Demo-
Gratis at the North have the same dis
apprO baton. In some measure then
it might be said the Northern mind is
infiamed against the South, and the
Northern political action so Influenced
by that consideration. To state it
broadly, the North is hostile to the
SOuth-at least politically. OF that
condition, gentlemen of the South
have taken note. We are familiar
with it. But it does not move us.
1t is the condition that has existed
since 1860. in modified form. W.
know it. We recognize it. But it
does not sway MS You will not find
any similar manifestation Of hostility
on the part Of the South toward the
North. We are content to do our
work in our day and generation with
out taking the North into the account
at all. Are we Going it we'll? The
quietude of the South, the happiness
and contentment of our people, their
emergence from the distress and
poverty incident to the war. and the
new mills, the banks. the railroads.
the great cotton crops. the consider
able sums spent on education--thcse
make the answer to the question.
We know, and we are content II
Northern people disapprove. we are
not moved by their Interpretation.
We recognize the condition of ho>til-
ity, but we do not concern ourselves
with it. We go on with our work.
You quote some paragraphs from
the Macon Telegraph, With that
paper at the present time am not ac-
quainted, but some wears ago its poll
y
an obscure paper-and YOU might
well, having made the quotation. have
merely exclaimed: OF with his
head. So much for Buckingham,
For YOU know that the Democratic
platforms are prepared by a commit
tee chosen by the delegates from each
State, respectively; and YOU also know
no l.
OF any Southerner been mentioned in
any Democratic convention for either
President or Vice President (unless |
err). Ii there have been Democratic
leaders of the South. it has been be-
cause of their talents and capacity
displayed in Congress; but the party
or the nation has never been asked to
invest them with leadership The
platform is the work of fortv-six
States-not of the thirteen Southern
States. The South did not turn away
from Mr.. Cleveland; he moved away
from us. He plunged into destruc-
ton Did he serve the country well
in establishing those conditions that
led to the repeal Of the Wilson bill
and the adoption of the Mckinley
tariff and that made possible the eX-
listing evils in the Philippine Islands
1t was the rebound from him that
made the action at Chicago possible.
But even atChicagO the South neither
made the platform nor asked the
leadership. 1t was the West. Mr.
Bryan's great vote outside OF the
Northeast in 1896 shows how deeply
the people were moved. And the
platform was responsive to the West
ern sentiment. However. all that is
in the past. The burning question
then-the money questions now
less prominent. The immense adj
ditions to the gold supply have rem
dered less important that we should
have the double or alternate standard.
And there is no other great question
on which Southern Democrats have
differed with Northern Democrats.
Moreover, the action of the Northern
Democrats at Kansas City evinces 3
spirit Of concession, which Southern
Democrats will appreciate, SO that i,
may be accepted that all who pro.
claim their allegiance to the Demo.
cratic party and faith will in 1904 FIND
it easy to unite in common action.
The Democratic party at the South
will be glad to see it's political prin
ciples put into operation in the adj
ministration of our Federal affairs
believing that the people will be bene
fitted thereby and the honor anc
glory of our country will be pro
NOTED. But we are not disturbed be
cause majority of the Northern PEG
pie prefer it otherwise. We merel,
devote ourselves the more closely tc
what is still more interesting to US
the upbuilding of our particular com
munities. And the negroes? The,
are making great progress; for tina
race, marvellous progress-a progres!
that was never dreamed of in 1860
and that has it's counterpart in NJ
other country in the world where an,
considerable number of negroes ar,