The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1902-04-02
Wednesday, April 2, 1902.
POSITION EMBOSSED.

on the repeal of the war tax" in so
far as it relates to the 10 per cent
duty on tea, while a surprise to some
of his constituents, meets with the
approval of those who have watched
the trend of the spirit of the times
and who.are of the opinion that it
leads to the application of practical
politics to our policies in order that
the South may enjoy some of the
results of the policies which have
been the essential factors in the de-
velopment of the industries Of the
North and made that section what it
is today, the keystone in the great
arch of Stateshood and enables it to
dictate the financial, commercial and
Industrial systems of the country.
Speaking for ourselves we are glad
the cobwebs of prejudice are begin
ming to be brushed from the mind Of
the Senior Senator and the policies
are revealed to him in different
light from that which be was taught
uuder the teachings of that element
which dominated the policies of the
Democratic party in the good old
davs when tberich "Southern Plan
ter" viewed with competency his
broad acres white with the harvest and
his numerous slaves like blackbirds
gathering it for the ginners. It was
to his interest that the system Of
free trade, or tariff for revenue onlv
should be the policy of the govern
ment, because through bis factors
his cotton was shipped to Liverpool.
Manchester, and other manufacturing
marts Of Europe, bringing back tc
him free of duty, fine wines and Ii
oueurs and other luxuries essential
to life of easy Incidence; ss well
as silks, sstins, diamonds and othe,
fnery to adorn the person of the fe-
male members of his family. Then
it was that the social custom, rather
than the business interest il flu.
enced the political policy of this sec
tion and sentimentslity and theory
overshadowed common sense and
practical idies to the Injury Of the
material progress of the Sonth.
Hence we find that the North BY
taking practical view of the sfaire
of life is rich in manufactures of all
descriptions; it is the centre of our
financial system and by which the
policies of the government are die.
tated. It has been enabled to be-
come the ruling factor in our sfairs,
not because it is more faVorably sit
mated than the South, nor yet be-
cause its resources were larger, but
because its people laid sentimentality
aside and grasped the tide at its
food which led on to progress and to
fortune.
Recognizing from the first the
necessity of a system that would en-
able the manufacturer of the North
10 pay fair wages to the employees
and leave profit for the capital in
vested, it was natural that tariff
on Manufactured articles imported
from Europe sufficiently large as TO
afford protection against the pauper
hbor of foreign countries should be
adopted, or else the industries OF thlP
country would be crushed out Of ez
istence by the rich manufacturers Of
the old world, and our workmen, like
those of overcrowded Europe, be
slaves to abject poverty, while the
rich rolled in wealth and luxury
produced by the degradation OF labor.
So we find that under the system OF
a protective tariff the North has
grown populous and wealthy and by
peglecting to take advantage Of our
opportunities and refusing to accept
the gifts the gods bestow the South
has clung to its free trade heresy until