The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-08-29
THE SOUTH AS A FORUM.
Growing Disposition to Address the
Nation From This Section.

The most notable change which has
taken place in the relations between
the two sections of the. country since
the war is the increased attention Civ
en- by the people Of the North to the
South in all relations, social, indus
trial and political. The change came
in order named, the outgrowth OF the
friendly relations which existed be-
fore the war, the intermarriage Oh
families and the annual visits Of tour
lists from the respective sections. The
industrial movement came later as
Northern capital was gradually at
tracted to the South by the opportu-
nifty offered IN the establishment OF
cotton mills in closer proximity u
the raw material, in the extension OF
railroads southwark and in the at
traction Of capital by the iron, coal
and other mineral resources there.
Through this means and the enter
prise of the South, in its own devei-
opment, together with its varied as-
r,cultnral productions in such staples
as cotton, sugar and rice, the South
has attained a degree Of prosperity
compared with its depleted condleion
after the war only a little short OF
nhenomenal. New Orleans has be-
come a rival of New York in the eS-
port of grain, and in the number OF IT'S
spindles and the quantity OF cotton
manufactured into yarns and cloth
the. South now rivals the North with
the prospect of surprising it at an
early day # it has not already done So
But the last phase Of the change
which seems to imply the obliteration
Of the old lines Of demarcation ana
the barrier raised by the civil war
has but recently manifested Itself. Il
5s +r,Ie that President Mckinley, in
brief tour through the South, spqSe
words at Atlanta and some o1her
points which breathed something OIL
the old spirit of brotherly love whlch
existed before the war. But there
was nc similar occasion on which the
people Of the South felt moved 70
break their long reserve and accept
+ha tender of hearty fraternity until
President Roosevelt, in his noted tour
from Washington to New Orleans last
autumn, spoke such words Of cordla1
friendship and for the first time maze
the whole people of the South feel
that they were thoroughly rehaDhl-
tated and regarded as upon com
mon plane with those of the Nortn.
This. it is true. was not strictly a po-
,i4ical but social occasion, but II
vas zone the less valuable in its re-
suits IN paving the way for more
aistinct political ahliation.
The pioneer in this political move
ment has undoubtedly been Judge
Taft who visited the South, not as
the propaganda of radical ideas
which form the basis OF. organization
for the Republican element, there
chiefly valuable for the votes it casts
in national conventions, but for a face
TO face talk with the people OF the
South on the broader funoamenta4
principles such as he or some pro-
nounced candidate for the Republican
non,ination might wish to present for
the consideration Of the Southern
people. The respectful attention CIV
an him and the wide publication OF his
views in the South, while not indica-
tive of any special effect in the way of
making converts, go to disprove me
existence of an intolerant e spirit
among the Southern people.
This experience of Judge Taft IN
North Carolina seems to have served
as an encouragement to other speak
ers. the most notable Of whom is JUS
4;ce David ]. Brewer, of the Supreme
Court. who last week delivered an ad-
dress at Texarkana, at the JOINT ses-
SION of the Arkansas and Texas Bar
Association, which was received with
enthusiastic appreciation and ap-
proyal. It is true it was pohucal
speech. but principles defining the re-
lations between the Federal and state
goyernnats. Surprise was expressed
that Judge Brewer, who is a resident
of kansas and a Republican by afflh-
alton. should give expressin to such
ssa d Democratic views in his crl1l-
e;-ra of the proposal for Federal resu-
;atjon Of various matters advo-
ea;ed during the recent session Oh
t,o7g gress. He rebuked the widely ex-
;.ting idea, as shown during the last
E ,o,r~ece that the Faderai