The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-10
LET THE SOUTH STAND SOLID.
The North Showed in November that
it Had No sympathy With Brave
People Facing the Greatest
Problem Of Modern
Times

Problem OF Modern
Times.
To the Editor:-Some ten days be-
fore the late election you We're kind
enough to print in the columns OF
your able newspaper my humble, but
earnest, appeal to the voters of North
Carolina to make their protest against
Theodore Roosevelt a strong one.
We are both happy to know that
the protest was made, and made with
no uncertain sound.
Midst the gloom at old AppomattoX,
the great Lee, looking into the eyes
of his battle-scarred veterans as he
was about to give them his sad fare
well. said to them: Men, Duty is the
subimest word in the vocabulary of
human speech. You have done your
duty
on the eighth of Last November
the Old North State did it's duty. That
is enough. The Democracy went down
in overwhelming defeat but the part
of the battle-line that was defended
by the sons of North Carolina was
held braVely and well. If the other
parts of the line had been held by
equal valor. instead of Overwhelming
defeat it would have been glorious
victory.
1t is a pity-not only for North
Carolina and the South, but for the
whole cOuntry-that Roosevelt was
elected.
On general principles I am an OPP
timist, but regarding the future of my
country in general and the South in
particular, | must confess that | am
getting to be decidedly pessimistic.
The last election showed, beyond
the possibility of a doubt, that the
North has no sympathy with the South
in it's heroic may well say pathcuc
struggle with the Weightiest problem
that q people ever had to face.
Since the world has stood, no peo-
pie has ever had such burden TO bear
as the South has had to carry since
the glorious surrender" OF forty
years ago. Dante's dream Of hell was
nothing in comparison with what the
South has had to face, not in dream,
but in reality, for more than gener-
alton.
Nobly has she stood up to her
heavy task. Bravely and uncomplaln-
ingly has she gone about the DONG
of the work that was given her 10
do. All was promising Welf and after
the long, dark night the day-daWn
was at hand.
And then-the deluge-the cold
flood of Northern Indifference, the
plain, outspokcn proclamation of the
last Presidential election, that the
people of the North not only have no
sympathy with the South, but that
they are disposed, if not determined
to make as much trouble for the
South as they can.
Upon the verdict of last November
it is impossible to put any other con-
struction. 1t is as clear as the mid.
day sun in an unclouded sky.
1t is evidently the purpose of the
people north of Mason and Dixon $
line to humilate the people South
of that line as much as they can. NO
other conclusion is possible.
The Republican candidate for the
Presidency had deliberately, and in
the most -blooded manner posi-
BILE gone out of his way to insult the
Southern people; and with that tact
clearly in mind, the Northern people
not only endorsed Roosevelt, but en-
dorsed him with shout and loud
ringing hosannah of joyi
Let us have peace" said Grant as
he turned away from Lee at Apo
mattox and TO Grants fair and pa
triotic appeal the South responded
with alacrity and with gladness-and
the future wore a smile in which
every one rejoiced.
But forty years after Lee and Grant
shook hands under the budding
apple tree it is decreed by the North
ern people that peace shall not pre-
vail: that the North shall be tyranni-
cal. and that the South shall submit
to that tyranny; that there shall be
no other peace than that of SUBMISSIVE
on the part of the South to whatever
insult and humiliation the North may
feel inclined to subject her to.
Well, nothing remains but for the
South to stand, as for forty years she
has stood-"solid" as a rock to re-
sst this programme of the power
maddened Republicans.
If the South will stand together; if
every white man in the South will
be and remain q white man; if the
sons of the men who have never yet
been conquered, will solemnly swear
that they never will 1e conquered, all
will turn out well.
In the meantime. Mr.. Editor, let
the people of the South raise cotton,
and look we'll to their local affairs.
Let them build mills and factories,
and other mines, and get rich in mon
ev-taking care. among the other
things, to keep together politically.
Keep sOlid-solid as Gibraltar! A
South split up and divided. is a South
Republicanized, a South cursed again
with Reconstruction, and Carpet
bagism, and Negro rule.
Keep solid The midsummer mad
ness that is now SO nightly in vogue
cannot last always; the darkest night
must have it's sunrise, and as sure as
there's a God in Heaven, the South
will win yet-if she is only brave, and
patient and faithful.
Mr. Editor, as lover of the Old
North State 1 beg you to do what
you can to keep the upper lights
a-burning, and to keep North Caro-
linians as they have ever been-too
proud to crimge, too brave to be
afraid.
Fraternally yours,