Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-10-14
ANOMALOUS POLITICALLY.
Cerioa. Features 81 tee Political sac.
ustiSa In the Sopthera
Statea.

Discussing the political outlook q few
days ago member of congress said the
southerners in politics are n study. and
he explained his remark Ny adding:
They will accept any mar demo
cratic convention hands them. and will
take any old platform 1t promulgates,
the only thing they insist upon being
that the democratic label shall be affixed
TO all goods" That this should be so
nearly 40 years after the war is one
of the curiosities of politics. says
the Indianapolis Journal The term
solid south originated so long ago
that the younger generation OF voters
now on the stage are ignorant OF its
origin, and Almost of it's significance.
yet the condition continues long after
the causes that gave rise to il nave
passed away. IL is an unfortunate thing
Tor the country and especially for the
sou,S IL is the more surprising he
cause. while slavery existed. the only
institution or issue that differentiated
the southern states from those of the
north. there was no solid south Ever
the long-continued agitation Of the
slavery question and the determined OPP
the south together politically until a
few years before the war. AS long rs
the whig party existed its nominees for
president always carried some southern
states. In 1870 William Henry Harrison
carried eight southern states. IN 1894
Henry CLAY carried five. and as late as
1872 Gen. Scott. the whig candidate. and
man OF northern birth. carried Ten
nessee and Kentucky. and received a
large popular vote in several other south
ern states. In 1856 Willard Fillmore an
other northern man. received n large
popular vote in every southern state
though he did not carry one The civil
war made the south solid. and ii has
continued so ever since as far as electoral
votes are concerned The unfortunate
experiences of the reconstruction period
increased the political soliGity of the
south. and the withdrawal Of union
troops during the Hayes administration
lid not help matters particle For the
last p years every southern state has
cast its electoral vote for the demo-
cratic candidate. without caring much
wnere he came from, or what kind Of
, platform he stood on. There were. how
ever. unmistakable signs of disintegra-
ton in 1896. when Mckinley received n
very large popular vote in several south
ern states, and again in 800. when the
republican vote in The south was almost
equally as large
The most curious feature of the situa-
ton is that the south should have con-
tinued for nearly 40 years so unswerv-
ing In its political devotion to a party
that has never brought IL anything but
disaster. and which is TO-DAY opposed to
all the national policies that have ere
ated the new south. and its unexampled
prosperity. For all the progress tho
south has made since the war. and il has
been very great. II is indebted. under
Providence, to republican policies and
legislation accomplished in spite of
steady and determined democratic OPP
position. Yet. as the congressman above
quoted said. the southern states will
accept any man democratic conyen-
ton hands them, and will take any old
platform 1t promugates" IL Is q re-
markable case Of q people subord.nat-
ing their moral and material intereststo
political sentiment. which. IL IL ever
had any reason for existing. has become
only the shadow OF a shade In all other
respects the southern people are intel
ligent, progressive and accessible TO rea-
con. They are thoroughly posted as TO
the resources OF the south, and have
shown keen appreciation OF and great en-
terprise in utilizing the opportunitie.
which republican policies and legisla
tlon have placed within their reach: vet
they continue TO vote for the party that
has done absolutely nothing for them.
and whose success in national election
would have blighting influence on every
southern Industry The condition is so
anomalous that ii would seem il cannot
continue permanently. and the sooner Il
ends the better for the south and the
whole country.
Republican Policies Sound.
Advocates OF republican policies are
sometimes rebuked az being unfairly
partisan in claiming material progress
and prosperity as natural results OF the
enforcement Of such policies. The demo-
cratic free trader does not like to face
the figures which show how the country
has gained in wealth and general vel
lare under the wise protective system
which originated with. and has been sus-
tanned by. the republican party. and that
fact is not surprising. since the proof
Is Overwhelming Of the fallacy Of his own
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