The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-19
A Leader From the south.

What man is there in the United
States. asks our esteemed contemporary
the Richmond Times, who can to-day
stand up and declare for a certainty what
are the principles Of the Democratic
party
The question cones from the South,
and the answer ought to come from the
same part Of the Union.
On Wednesday in the House of Rep
resentatives a Southern Democrat, the
Hon. CHARLES LAFAYETTE BARTLETT of
Georgia, arose to Offer "a an amendment
TO the regular Legislative, Executive
and Judicial bill provision specially
appropriating a quarter of a million
dollars for prosecutions by the Depart
ment of Justice under the Sherman Anti
trust act. and specially directing the
Auorncy-General To proceed against the
trusts Mr.. BARTLETT's purpose was
picayune. He was merely attempting
to forestall Republican action of the
same sort and thus to gain a supposed
partisan advantage by squirting ahead
of the ma joritv in the great corpora
ton-hunt. The Republicans promptly
checked this Southern Democrats un-
expected move, they doubled his pro-
posed appropriation and added it to the
bill thus setting aside half a million
dollars for the harassing of business
under the form of a partial and sporadic
enforcement of the statute of which Judge
GROssCuP Of the United States Circuit
Court said the other day: Logically
and impart tally enforced. that act for
bids two grocers on opposite corners of
the street. from forming copartnership
to save expenses; partially enforced. il
puts the industries of the land at the
mercy not OF the law, but of the officers
of the law"
We have referred 10 Mr. BARTLETT's
futile enterprise because il suggests
possible answer to the Richmond Illness
question.
The case of the Southern Democrats
in Congress at this time contains the
potentiality of independence and nflu-
ence beyond the dreams of ambition.
There is no minority leadership worthy
to be SO called the feeble flame of
Mr.. RICHARDSON'S torch having reached
the stage of flicker and sputter prelim-
mary to its extinction. The redemption
Of the Southern Democracy from it's
recent unfortunate ENHANCEMENT with
Western Populism is rapidly becoming
complete. The individual representa-
tives of the Southern Democracy in
Congress hold their places. as a rule. by
majorities which free them from the
embarrassments of political expediency
existing in the case Of some Of their
Northern brethren The astonishing
progress of the South in industry, in COM
merce and in wealth, and its increasing
share OF the common prosperity of the
nation, involve corresponding increase
in the weight of its opinions and desires
in the councils of the nation.
These things being so, and Mr. BART
LETT Of Georgia having demonstrated
the hopelessness of any attempt TO gain
political advantage over the Republicans
by tricks Of demagogy, why should not
the Richmond Illness question be an
swered for the South?
What man in the United States is in
better position than the independent
Southern Democrat in Congress to stand
up and declare for a certainty, for en-
ample, AZ one Of the principles of the
Democratic party, that the distinction
between the powers conferred on the
Federal Government by the Constitu-
ton. and the powers Of control over busi-
ness and internal industry retained by
the States at the time of the Federal COM
pact, must and shall be preserved?