West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-04-12
THE SOUTHLAND MUST LEAD
Invitation to Command the National
Democracy.
A BULOGY OF SOUTHERN MEN
The Pernicious Tendencies and Bane-
ful Corruption OF the Republicans
Country Ready 10 Entrust a NigIlant
and Reputable Democracy With
Power.

when other sections went of
into uh Democratic fields the South
stood steadfast for the party
of the people. Heretofore the
South has been very modest, even
with advice, at national conventions
and has brought forward no candi.
dates for the national nominations,
except in an Indifferent way from
the debatable border states, such as
Missouri and Maryland.
The country sorely needs honesty,
and Democrats must rescue the
government from the party of graft,
greed and scandals that now is in
power. The steadfast South, whose
unwavering devotion to Democratic
principles has withstood TIE bribes
and jibes of the enemy has now
been invited TO lead in the reorgani-
cation of the party on the old and
undisputed doctrine of "equal rights
to all and special privileges to
none" This invitation comes from
the state that has heretofore always
been dominant In debating party
policies and candidates, but is
now ready to follow the lead of
the South who has hitherto been
content to follow, what have been
considered, the necessary but
doubtful states.
At Charlotte, North Carolina,
Judge Parker lately made speech
urging the South to take the lead in
party management and further said /:
"But the time has come when
new duties and responsibilities must
be undertaken by the Democrats of
the South. 1t is more than two
score years since the war closed
and your people find themselves
upon the threshold of what promises
to be the most remarkable business
development the world has ever
known within the same time and
space. Some of your men have
gone forth to command the highest
success, in the most honorable way,
in the greatest financial and com
mercial movement of the time ;
others have become the managers
OF great railway interests you have
developed great manufacturing en-
terprises, and, most difficult of all,
your people, as a whole, have so
maintained and increased their own
position and the dominance Of the
country in one of the greatest
products of the soil as to make
them the wonder and admiration OF
the world.
'In spite of your devotion to
principle and consistency, in the
face of numerical importance
that was prepondersnt, in politics
only have you stepped aside. From
the earliest day you have sent your
best men into public life. They
have been at once modest, able,
devoted, patriotic and honest. No
Jail or penItentiary has opened Its
hospitable doors 10 admit your
Senators, Representatives or Gov
ernors, nor have the officers of the
law. from detectives TO Attorney
General, been compelled to hau
them into the criminal courts. In
the face OF this record you have moi
only permitted us Of the North tc
present to you candidates for Presi
dent and Vice President, but yor
have insisted upon our doing so,
and have then voted for them, anc
that, too, when sometimes no othei
states did So"
After plainly presenting to tn,
minds OF mis- audience the Demo
cratic disasters of the past ter
years, Judge Parker continued
"When such conditions confron
you why should you hesitate AM
longer You have borne the hea
and burden Of the day. You
statesmen have demonstrated thei
ability not only to take care OF ihr
interests OF their states and thei
section, but they have been tn
only dam against aggression a
home and the threat of discredi
abroad. Among them are men witt
the knowledge, experience, honest
and courage to represent thei
fellow partissns without the SUI
render Of principle and their fellow
countrymen with safety and honor
"The time has come when tn
really effective Democrats Of tn
country should be recognized an
when they themselves should n
longer hesitate, decline or refuse (