Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-22
REPUBLICAN EVOLUTION.
Its Eject on the south, According to
Judge Wood.

Several gentlemen were discussing the
southern political problem last evening,
suggesting the ideas OF expansion and iron
and cotton manufacturing, the Nicaragua
canal, the passing away of the active par
Elephants of the war of the rebellion, as all
inuring TO the gradual but certain demeii-
ton Of this democratic matorities in the
south and the probability of the preponder-
ance Of republican majorittes, when Judge
NJ B. Wood of Virginia said:
II agree that the influences mentioned are
working political changes that in time will
prevail. But of the opinion that the
people inhabiting Appalachia are the wedge
that will surely and inevitably split the
solid south and make IT loyal IN its ale
glance to the principles and policies OF the
republican party. This region beginning
Wonder in western New York and running
down through Pennsylvania, the western
part of Maryland, the whole OF West Viz
ginia southwest Virginia, east Tennessee,
western North Carolina, eastern Kentucky
and touching the northwestern part or
South Carolina, northern Georgia ana Ala
bama and even into the eastern edge OF
Ohio, is the Appalachian range of noun
tains inhabited by peculiar people-haruy,
thrifty, independent, intense In their ~reis-
ious and political convictions and loving
their country with sublime patriotism. The
people of this section are better. informed
than the average working man of the city
They were overwhelmingly. in favor of the
preservation of the Union, and are therefore
naturally republicans. cor? 49, ~'---
"Inhabitings region that Is richer in ma
| terial resources than the gold fields of Cali
| fornia, the Kloudyke or South Africa, self
/ interest prompts them to give their allie
| glance to d party whose tariff policy Will
/ make this whole region prosper industrially
! like the Pittsburg district of PENNSYLVANIA.
! In that district they began earlier, but i'll
! southwest Virginia tonight. thqusapds of
/ coke ovens are illuminating the heavens
/ and numerous furnaces are .pouring forth
| the mingled product of coal, and lime
| stone. dug from the hills on Opposite- sides
! of The same valley.
! But / getting ahead of myself with
my argument. This region very posi-
tive in sending Union delegates to- confer
| ences and conventions prior to the civil war
| While there were some negro slaves, nine
| tenths. even more, of the people We're
! white and since the clos. OF che civil war
/ the people of that region and the lowlander
/ have had no more political sympathy and
| utilization than the SwitZer apd the Hun.
/ There are the thirty cOuntieS of east Ten
! nessee, running from Bristol to Chatta-
nooga that give 10000 republican majority
| al every election: the sixteen counties, of
the eleventh Kentucky that give 10000; in
| western North Carolina It is, the. saJrle~Nay.
| but not emphasized by majOrities large:
while In the ninth Virginia, like the ninth
| Kentucky. there are about as many votes
| pOled there are in the whole -ef-Ss4He
southern states, and 1t is only by the most
| questionable methods, practiced under In
famous tleclDH laws, tIldl tHe
| ever win. Why the democrats control the
| states of Virginia and Tennessee by their
| majorties in the negro districts. Look at
| the statistics, and you will see that l am
| not classifying the record, but speaking the
| words of truth and soberness.
| H Clay Evans was elected governor of
| Tennessee in 1884 by having the negroes
stay away from the polls in middle and
| west Tennessee, so that the democrats
could not return their votes cast for the
democratic candidate, when. a matter of
fact the negro had not voted at all 1t is
| so in Kentucky, in North Carolina and VIZ
ginia that in the negro counties the demo-
! Gratis get their heaviest majorities West
Virginia il now safely republican as
Pennsylvania, from which state much OF
the labor and money for development has
been brought
This Appalachian region is the leaven
whole lump. The republican inhabitants OF
this region ought 10 be cultivated and en-
couraged. Ostracised at home (for the
| towns are generally democratic, having @
| large population that Is constitutionally op-
| posed TO free white labor that Is as ignor.
ant as the negro and unreasonably preju-
decd, shut out by the partisan machinery
from participation in the public affairs OF
the state. and neglected by the national ad.
! ministrstion. the people of this section have
been republican from principle and not fol
| ONCE. Given that recognition which theil
raithrulness merits, and which the ability
, of some deserve, they would have the con
scious pride Of knowing that a native south
ern republican of brains and character wa.
not regarded abroad with contempt AND
aversion. This region Is just now on The
eve OF great development that will max,
II populous and bring in new ideas and new
methods"