Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-05-16
THURSDAY, MAY l6, 1901,
THE NEW SOUTH.

A great many of our people are reluc-
tant to admit that we have New
South" so far as business ideas and condl- |
tons are concerned. There are many
Others who do admit complete change in
ideas and conditions, but who are unwill-
ing to own that the business revolution in
the South is due to anything except the
wonderful energy of our people. In our
humble opinion one class is at fault as
much as the other. We not only have a
new South, but the change has resulted
from the introduction of new ideas on
business lines.
Old persons now living and history
teach us that our people before the Civil
War were taught to have contempt for
the spirit of commercialism that prevailed
among the people of New England and
other States of the East. The institution
of slavery made our section essentially
agricultural in character and created a
strong hostility to what we're called Yam
kee ideas. Even after the war of seces-
sion had closed unsuccessfully for the
South, for long time, the sentiment re-
NAMED bitter against the commercial
spirit of tie North. At every step OF the
revolution that has taken place, and is still
going on, impractical men and partisan
prejudice have sought to obstruct and de-
feat every business innovation that has
been made in business conditions at the
South. The spirit still prevails, as is evil
denced Uy the cutlery that Is made against
the position of Senator McLaurin, of South
Carolina, in favor of the progressive policy
of expansion. The expansion doctrines CT
today are but an extension of those that
influenced Thomas Jefferson in his pur-
chase of Louisiana; but the politicians Of
the South are reluctant to accept them
now, as they did from Jefferson. May not
the present hostility to expansion and our
interests in commercial sense be traced
to the South's enmity to Republican
ADMINISTRATION, which is the champion Of
expansion -? 1t is the same old opposition
to every progressive movement of the
Republican policy.
There are many who believe that the
introduction of new ideas i'll the South,
the ideas that attend the policy of the Re
publican party, has created the new South.
Our people have accepted and utilized
those ideas, but many are unwilling to
admit their potential influence in bringing
our section Of the Union to its present
splendid business relations with other
sections of our own country and with for
eign lands. The wonderful development
of our mineral resources and advancement
in manufactures have resulted in great
measure, we believe, from the protective
policy of tie Republican party. Right
here in Southwestern Virginia, and just
across the line in West Virginia, We have
a striking demonstration of the healthful
business effects that have followed the in
PRODUCTION of Northern capital and ideas.
The men who would change these condi.
tons are very few, and will be laughed at
when they suggest return to the old ideas
and situations.
In the "Cotton States" the battle for
progressive government will still 60 on.
Brave champions, like Senator McLaurin,
will continue to spring up and be fought
by demagogues like Ben Tillman, but
common sense will ultimately overcome
prejudice and patriotism supplant passion.
Then we will have new South, indeed.