The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-15

| of the future course of the Southern
, Democracy in the national councils
! According to the present arrange
| ment prominent Democrats in and
out of Congress are to be asked to
meet in Washington this winter to
talk over the Souths political future.
Should this peaceful conference ma
! terlallze resolution substantially as
follows Will be offered by a Southern
Congressman:
Resolved, That the Democrats of
the South do not send delegates to
National Democratic conventions; that
the electors from the Southern States
MAINTAIN their old constitutional priv
lleges and vote in the electoral college
Tor that presidential candidate, re-
CARELESS of politics. Who seems to them
most likely to offer to the South it's
greatest advantages
Should such a resolution be pass
ed 1t would be referred to the sew
eral State committees and by them
to the people of the States for ratifi-
cation.
"A Southern member of Congress
IN discussing the proposed plan said
today:
In my opinion the only hope for
the South is Independent political ac-
tlon--a cutting loose from mugWump-
cry and coWardice Of the Northern
Democracy. The comparison is obi
Gus, but the negro vote in nine cases
out of ten controls the doubtful States
and the presidency. There is no rea-
son why the South, with something
like 160 votes, should not hold the
balance of power and go independents
ly into the electoral college and cast
its vote for that candidate least mimi
cal to the interests of the people of
the South. This will mean that the
Northern Democracy is left free to
eVade and truckle as much as il
pleases. Independently of Southern
sentiment it can go ahead and do what
it thinks best to defeat the Republi-
can party.
If from our standpoint it nomi-
mates a candidate in whom the South
has confidence our electoral vote will
be cast for him. The same is true of
the Republican candidate or any other
candidate. Should we be unable to
get something which approaches our
ideals, we will cast our vote for a
Southern Democrat. We had better
lose with him than loss with a can
didate and platform only partially in
sympathy with us. 1t seems to me
that the time has been reached for
some such course as above outlined,
| Flying in the face of decisions of the
Supreme court upholding the suffrage
features of our State Constitutions, the
Republican party comes out for re-
duction of our Congressional repre-
sentation because we have excluded
not negroes, but illiterates from exer-
cising the rights of franchise.
Whatever is left of the South
should be for the South. The effect
ought to be a good one on both the
Republican and Northern Democratic
parties.
If movement of that character is
ION foot it will "die al bornin'." 1t is
the siIliest scheme of a day of silly
suggestions, born in a moment of deep
depression that has temporarily I'M
hinged the thinking apparatus of the
Southern Congressman who thinks
of offering the Resolution for Seces-
sion. The conference will not ma
terialize. The South is not sectional
in it's politics and protests against the
attempt to place it in that light.
The Southern Congressman ought
to put ice on his head and let it soak.
Tom Watson is out in a proclama-
ton calling for a new party for 1908.
In his article he takes a "whack'' at
Mr.. Bryan. Nearly all the assistant
Republican of the extreme opposite
schools roast Mr. Bryan. He is regu-
lar, honest-the biggest man in Amer
lea That's WHY thew fear him.