The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-13

Thorsby, July 1o.-(speoial )-colonel w.
II. benson Of Birmingham delivered no.
table address here on the Fourth OF July.
He was the orator of the days celebraz
ton. After stating that he had prepared
no speech. but had prepared to speak,
and paying due consideration and respect
to the energy and enterprise of the ciu-
zens of Thorsby. he entered at once into
the history of the causes that gave origin
to the Fourth of July as a memorial and
festival day In America. He then showed
the different characters of the people who
had settled the North and the South: and
that different climate. soil and natural
aspect had produced in America a differ
ent type between the settlers of the two
sections. These elements had caused diff
ferent Industrial enterprises and labor
systems.
In the North they produced manufacture
ing sea-faring. fisheries and trade, while
in the South they hau produced agricul-
tural enterprises in raising tobacco, rice.
sugar and cotton and the South was not
then a manufacturing community.
4C ldDOT SYSTEM Ol LILO NIL III WIS -
white labor and machinery; that of the
South was negro slavery. The man OF the
North favored a strong government
whose flag would float on all seas and
should have power to enforce all treaties
and protection to the trade of its citi-
zens.
Home consumption not being sufficient
4, - Ill
enterprises being new, 1t favored a tariff.
1t favored a national banking system, as
Its trade was both national and interna-
tional
1t favored international improvements
to advance the development of the mate
rial resources of the country, expediting
manufacturing and commerce.
The rigid climate keeping the people in
doors, their inventive genius was always
at work. All these forces begot individu-
alism in the person and unionism in the
State Their industrial system was more
directed to the benefit and profit of the
individual than to the security of the peo-
pie at large. Prosperity at that time
must arise more from individual enter
prise and energy than from the combined
efforts of the community. While the man
of the North looked to State aid, the ben
efits intended were more for the interest
of the individual than to the community.
Individual benefit was the principal
thing, while the general welfare was the
incident or result. His ideas of laws were
entirely inductive.
He favored low wages and high cost of
living, because he had to take the money
out of his pocket and pay the wages;
hence he favored low price for wages.
He favored high cost of living, because as
manufacturer he sold his IN his
employee and got back in profits the
money he had paid out as wages.
The industrial system of the South,
based on negro slavery and climatic in
fluences, begot personal Independence in
the individual and State rights in the
community. Living in his baronial man.
sion, surrounded by his slave villages his
opinion as the duty of the State was to
let ME alone" No State interference in
anything, as little government and as few
laws as possible, and these only to pro-
tect property and preserve the peace and
good order.
He minimized governmental power and
duty, and relied on his individual re-
sources and strength to advance his own
prosperity.
He had human being with intelligence
sufficient to perform successfully ali the
labor and duties required of him. This
produced a state of physical idleness.
He favored high wages as this advance
ed the value of his slave, and low cost
of living as he hau to supply such living
for his slave out his own pocket.
Here, then, we find two different and
antagonistic systems of labor existing in
the territory of the same general govern
ment.
That of the North looked to the enact
ment of laws by the general government
for its development and protection Ma
tional authority and interference must be
called on to advance the general welfare
and 1t must be the supreme power In aid
ing the development of the resources of
the country and aiding the energies of
the people
The South was the antithesis of all this
1t said to the general government Let
us alone, you have no power to interfere.
the local State government alone has the
supreme power in such matters. 1t alone
can interfere. and State sovereignty is
the paramount authority In the premises &"
National predominance was necessary
to protect the industrial and labor system
OF the North, State sovereignty was ne
cessary to maintain the Industrial and la
Dor system of the South.
But these distinctive principles were not
established at first In 1876, we find Mr.
Calhoun pronounced advocate of the
tarin, and Mr.. Webster strong defend
er OF free trade. In 1924 each radically
changed his position and his views CAL
noun became gigantic and fierce adyo-
cate or free trade and State sovereignty.
Webster assumed the part of a colossal
and towering defender of the tariff and
National authority.
Henry Clay during all these periods.
was setting forth his American system
winch embraced tariff, internal i'm