The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-20
THE SOUTH AND DEMOCRACY.
Apparent Determination to Abandon
the Fallicies of Organism and Pop
uliSm.

(From the Minneapolis Times. Ind,
The tone and action of the Demo-
cratic National Convention Will be so
largely determined by the wishes of
the Southern States that a hint Of
Southern sentiment is interesting just
now, when all sorts of conjectureS are
afloat as to the line up in the great
We find the Atlanta Constitution.
the most Influential newspaper in the
South except the LOUISVILLE Courier
Journal, pooh-pooing the idea that
the ~ascendency of the white race is
to be the paramount issue in the
national campaign. The Constitution
says the question was settled long
ago The South cOnstitutiOnality or
not. has settled 1t in nearly every
Southern State by disfranchising the
black voters and Congress has not
seen fit to impase the constitutional
penalty of reduced representation.
The Republican party is not likely
to be so foolish is to make the negro
a leading issue when there are 50
many vital questions demanding at
tention-
IF we could write the PLATFORM,
says the Constitution. I'VE would make
its whereas the famous creed that
Jefferson inserted II his first Presi-
Dental address. In it are found the
automatic Democratic principO's
which apply as pe%rtinently to tn
problems of this day as to those of his
day. In times like these, when the
party in power is lawlesSly arrogant,
and using the Federal powers with
reckless defiance of the Constitution
there can be ound no better chart
than Jefferson's for the opposing Dem
ocracy. The cry of every enemy Of
Republlcanism should he stick to
JeffersonianiSmi'"
The Montgomery Advertiser does not
believe the Southern states should at
tempt to dictate either candidate or
platform.
A Democratic President cannot be
elected without the votes of the South
ern States, to be sure. but it is equally
true h a those states cannot elect a
candidate. All that IS necessary
that the South may exert the IN
fluence it should in the councils of
its party IS that it divorce itself from
the theories hat nave brought Two
defeats and show itself ready to re-
urn to true Democracy.
The Advertiser believes the Southern
Democrats are cured of the infatua-
tons Of 1896 and 1900 and are ready
to go to work for ''old-time DemoC-
racy in the old-time Democratic way"
There is good reason for the belief that
the Southern States will stand for a
sound candidate on a sound platform.
"A REPETITION Of the 1900 folly would be
predestlned defeat" says the Advertis-
er and that folly cannot be repeated
except through Southern votes"
If the tone of the leading Southern
newspapers is a criterion the South
ern states will go into the convention
next year united for a return to con-
sentative Democracy, n the norTil-
nation Of candidates in whose stead
fast adherence to the time-hOnOred
principals of Democracy he people
will have full confidence.
Of n thing hi party may be as
sured and hat is that it cannot win
on the principal most loudly cham
pioned in 1896 and 1900. The oppoSi-
ton of the Eastern Democracy to
what is termed 'Bryanism' mas ex-
tended to the Central West and re-
enforced by the South, the conserVa-
tiveS can compel a return to the old
demand for tariff revision. economy
In governmental expenditures, ana q
sound financial policy. The party
can come nearer uniting on a plat
form embodying these principals than
on n other.