The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-27
The South and Democracy.

The South and Democracy. b
The South has a glorious opportunity
IN The wear Of our Lord 1904 to perform
a valuable service for the cause OF true
Democracy. But opportunity always I'M
plies responsibility, and as the south's
opportunity is great its responsibility IS
correspondingly great
pure Democracy has never been found
IN this country, except In the South. the
southern people are Democrats by IN
hertance, by education. by environment
by the force Of circumstances and situa-
zion. Too much Is involved In the
question of inheritance to go into any
discussion Of 1t In a short newspaper
article. It Is !. enough to say that me
southern people are of Democratic stock
and they have preserved their integrity
OF race-for lack OF a better term-petter
than the people Of other sections. There
has been little infusion of foreign blood
and the few immigrants who have come
In have been easily absorbed ana
aft,liated. Some OF our most enthusiast
III coxederates during the war were
man ri northern birth. The most intoler-
ant confederate we ever knew was
woman who was born and reared IN the
olty Of Philadelphia, but who married 6
,t1S southern man and spent the major por-
,tion of her life in the State OF North
Carolina. Some Of our most pronounced
southern men to-day, In ell that that
designation implies. are men who have
come into the South from other sections.
There Is something In the atmosphere
which generates and develops the Demo-
cratic germ
Before the war the South was pecu-
larly an agricultural section. and as Its
people engaged very little In manufac-
ture and trading, there was no demand
for government favoritism. There was
no demand for protective tariff, or for
any sort OF legislation in the interest
Of any peculiar class. The southern
people were we'll content to go on their
way, asking no favors OF government.
and naturally, therefore, resentlng any
interference on tho part of government
with their private affairs. The aboli
tion1sts OF the North by their oft-repeated
attempts at interference intensified the
spirit Of Democracy In the South and.
strengthened the doctrine OF States
rights, which was cardinal doctrine
of, Democracy.
! Again the spirit of Democracy was Ina
tenslfied by the struggle OF 1S6l-1ss4. The
southern people fought, as perhaps no
peope in the world ever fought for
principle, and that principle was the
very essense OF Democracy. Men fight
for what they love and per contra men
learn to love that for which they fight.
The spirit Of Democracy was still fur
Their intensified by the outrages of re-
construction, and so for generation after
generation the South has been forced
into the position Of struggling In behalf
OF Democratic principles and the en-
forcerient of them. The father Of De-
mocracy was a southern man, and his
influence is exerted to this day, In
view OF all these circumstances it is not
strange that the South should be in
tensely Democratic and that tho purest
Democracy should ever have been found
In southern territory. Northern Demo-
cracy is more or less tainted with Re-
publicanism and western Democracy Is
i very much tainted with Popul!sm Pure
and unadulterated Democracy is found Fl
the South. and that fact Is we'll recog.
nized by the intelligence OF tho North.
Hence II Is. and we assert 1t as a fac
with perfect confidence, that II th'
affairs of government are to be admin
tellgence OF the North, without respect
to party afftliation. prefers that southern
men shall be in control. Most people
seem to think that the time has not yet
n come to bring forward a southern mar
for President, but IT Is our delibera Il
opinion that II the South will be wis,
and tactful in the campaign OF 1901, be
fore another presidential campaign shall
have come there Will be demand a.
wide as the country itself for southern
Democratic President and 1t will be {
simple thing to nominate and elect hin
In 1903.
But much viii depend, as we hav'
said, upon the conduct Of southern
Democrats In this important campaign
without attempting TO so into details
II is enough 10 say in general term
that southern Democrats should emplo,
this occasion. this campaign OF 1904 4
impress ,hs fact upon the people a
largo that they are Democratic 70 r