Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-04-25
One Which Regards The SOuth'S Trade
Interests.
DEMAND FOR EXPANSION.
This Section FettereG Too Long TO
Dead Issues and Regarding Too
Little The Needs of The
Future.

led the Southern Democracy
"Mr. Toastmaster and Gentlemen:-ln
the South we are today realizing some OF
the dreams of its farseeing statesmen and
business men of fifty years ago. With
prophetic eye, they saw the industrial and
commercial possibilities Of our highly
favored Southland.
"With an advance of thought that is
really surprising, they suggested enter
prises of wonderful magnitude for Its up
building and commercial dominance.
From 1888 to 1860, conventions were held
to voice the demands of deep seated
public sentiment for industrial progress.
The story Of these movements is chronic
led in a South Carolina publication, which,
under the name of Debow Review, did
for the old South what the Manufacturers
Record is doing for the South Of today.
"The same spirit which enabled our
fathers to leave the field of defeat with
nothing but their courage and their char
acters left, still lives in the South, and
inspires you today in your great under
takings.
"The plans of the great Southern busi-
ness men and statesmen of fifty years ago
are no longer idle dreams. Postponed by
a cruel war which DESTROYED our social and
industrial system, and for years rendered
cooperation in national undertakings al
most impossible, such men as l meet here
tonight are making these dreams actual
living realities.
"The time is past for the discussion as
to whether this government is to be one
consolidated in its structure or a loose ag'
gregation of (so-called) sovereign States.
Tie civil war settled that
ut is useless to discuss the question of
whether this Is to be purely theoretical
democratic government or an expanding
and giant republic. The Spanish war set.
tied that. Why not then accept condi'
tons as they are and make the most Of
them?
"The agitation of such issues ouly serves
10 sidetrack broad American doctrines and
should not be made party questions. They
grow out of actual political and economic
conditions, which it is beyond the power
Of either party to change. l care not Of
what political faith the occupant Of the
White House might have been; for, If a
true American, mindful of the honor and
dignity of the nation, the results OF the
Spanish war could not be widely different
from what they are today.
"Why should our people be the only
ones to close their eyes to what is going
on? Why should we move along in the
same old ruts and insist that political poll
cies and old traditions, long since dead,
are vital living issues, and depend upon
them for the salvation of the South
"The triumphant reelection Of Mr. Nc
Kinley in the last campaign is full of sig
riicance. 1t is a stubborn fact confront
ing the Democratic party today suggestive
of reproachful rememberances and fearful
menaces. What reflection that this new
Democracy did not carry State where
the issues were discussed and judgment
passed by the people upon them on their
merits. Of course with us it has been i'm
possible to decide elections upon issues. 1t
has been simply question of white
supremacy. In the North and the West,
dissolved into factions, tainted by the err
rors of Republicanism and the folles Of
Populism, the party could not Withstand
the tide of popular opposition excited by
unreasonable criticisms of the conduct of
a foreign war, and by the vicious and in
cendiary appeals made during the last
month of the campaign 10 class hatred and
prejudice.
Fundamental principles were lost sight
of. and in an insane effort to secure party
success at any cost, the attempt was made
to combine socialism, PopuEsm and Sec
uonalism, with nothing but the sentiment
and traditions of Democracy. The real
Democratic leaders in the Senate for the
past three years hay9 been Teller, Petit
grew and Allen, all Of them able men, but
one Populist, one high.tarif Republl'
can. and the other, d0n't know what
All of them opposed to State banks with
proper safeguards, and most other things
We need in the South. This was called
the New Democracy in cOntradIslinctier
from the old, and some of its leaders sta
ted that its creeds we're revolutionary ant
were so designed TO be.
"Another thlng-to ~ mind 1t is fOlll
to oppose expansion under the name o
= imperialism. 1t deceives no man of in
: telligence. He understands that there il
2 no analogy between this country and the
< Roman Empire, and those who talk of i'm
perialism do not take into account tha
y mower which is born of our free lnstitu
2. tiops. fortress in the hearts Of our peopl
e stronger than any ever built of stone. a
long as this is there they can never becom
t slaves, and when dead it matters no
whether under republic Or empire, the.
e become an easy prey. 1t depends upol
the people, not the government, whethe
they be slaves or freemen. 1t is the pee
IL
pie that make the government, not tn
II government the people. With brave
strong, intelligent people, with fire
press and popular education, there can b
no imperialism. Why should we be affai
# to trust ourselves ? The whole tendenc
d of the times and the spirit of the age
# toward democratic instead of imperiAlisti
| ideas ofgovernment.
/. "The throne of the Great White Czal
trembles today at the roar of the Dem
ocratic Lion, and the echoes resound eve