Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-18
WILL VIRGINIA LEAD..

WILL VIRGINIA. LEAD:
The question of the Democrats s,cr1-
mating a southern man for President,
which has been agi,ated frequently du-
ring recent years. with more or less Sc
riousness, is again under consideration
with a section of the press. In THIS con-
nection we have the same old query, II
not. why not?, coupled in some instances
with more insistency than ever before,
that it is time the South were awarded
the honor.
Theoretically. the South established a
right to the honor long ago. Ever since
she emancipated herself from the CALLING
and hun,iliating yoke of Reconstruction
imposed on her by the northern. mails-
nants she has been the mainstay OF the
National Democratic party. On the prin-
ciple of recognizing the majority claim
as represented in votes, and as opposed to
yielding to the rule or the demand OF
..expediency." the South would ask no
more than her just due in asking the
nomination. Yet. as Mr.. Cleveland once
theory but condition that confronts u.s..
we must look at matters as they are,
not as they ought to be- Aside from her
voting power the South has never been
in any position since 1861 to eS-
ercise decided influence in the
party She has never been IN
position to command the attention OF
the mass Of Democrats in the North ana
West further than making them aware
that she could be counted on with GER
tainty to roll up big Democratic MAORI
tics on election day. She could not be as-
gressive within the party. There was ever
present with her great and overshadowlng
issue, which many northern Democrats
did not fully understand, and with which
they sympathised in perfunctory way
only. To that issue all else had to be
subordinated. In great measure the
thoughts of her public men concentrated
on making all policies and movements
in the party conspire against the menace
to white supremacy Tho situation was
such that she had to take what she could
get; had-to be plain about it-"play sec
ond fiddle" to the northern and western
Democracy
And while it is distasteful to confess
the fact, it is none the less fact that
hosts of northern and western Democrats
consider "a back seat our proper place"
They comprehend merely enough of the
old dominant southern issue to render
them patronizing and cause them to feel
that we owe them debt Of gratitude for
the aid their leaders have given us In
fighting Republican sectional and ne
grophilistic measures in Congress?
1t would seem to follow, therefore, that
the South cannot expect the recognition
of being conceded the first or even the
second, place on the national Democratic
ticket until a change shall have been
wrought in these ideas and convictions.
How can that be accomplished? Only
by the south's coming forward as
the virile, courageou and uncompro-
missing exponent of fundamental
Democratic doctrines, and the cham
pion of the economic policies in har-
mony with these, which involve the best
interests of the people at large. If she
would ensure securing her theoretical
right, she must attract the attention OF
the country by affording practical evil
dence that she has at heart the interests
of the entire land and is capable of rising
to the national OCCASION Has the time
come for this? Is the opportunity
p ja 1,aaS f1,a
is fast approaching and the opportunity
is rapidly rpening, if she will but take
advantage of them. She has emerged
from the threatening shadow of the para
mount issue-the issue which made the
southern Democrats in sense a distinct
division within the national party, and
forced them all too often to a policy of
compromising and temporising. The
southern Democracy, leaders and rank
and file, are now free to a great extent
from a responsibility which constrained
them not to attempt to be assertive as to
cardinal Democratic principles But with
release came another great responsible
ity-that embraced in proving the Souths
capacity for leadership and vindicating
her loyalty for principle sake to the
never-dying underlying principles of De-
mocracy, upon which rests the only hope
of permanancy of our Institutions, and in
wich lies the only assurance of the ma
terial and industrial progress which
means the greatest good to the greatest
number.
Just to the degree the South shall show
the ability and earnest purpose to per-
form that duty will she advance towards
the point where it will be accepted that
she has title to name the Democratic
presidential vice-presidential candi-
date-the man who will embody and il
lustrate the tenets and the policies she
will have made the platform of the party.
In view of the position she has hereto
fore been compelled to occupy with rela-
ton to the party at large, she may not
be able to reach that point by 1904, out
the time is suspicious for beginning the
race for it. The season and the opportu-