The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-03
WHY the South is Solid.

The newspapers are still talking
about Secretary Talft's recent speech
at Greensboro, y. c., in which he
sought 10 promote the political free
ION Of the south. Among other
things he described the state of i'm
potepce in national affairs to which
the south had subjected itself by its
1ndiscrirninatirIg allegiance to one po-
htical party OF, at least, this is the
impression that his remarks made
upon the Outlook.
Probably SO, but the south is not
dissatisfied with its relations to the
rest Of the Union. The mistake that
Mr.. Taft and all his sympathizers and
commentators make is in suppOsing
that the south would be republican
in its politics if it had the opportunity
to exercise freedom Of will in the adop-
ton of its political principles. The re-
publican handicap in the south Is the
negro vote, but that vote has been
eliminated practically, and the south
is democratic on principle.
There is one side of the question.
however, which the and
politicians of sectional tendencies have
not considered. The Industrial and
economic interests Of the south would
not be promoted by the adoption Of
republican measures, and while there
has been great unity of thought and
action on the part of our people In
recent years, this unity has not been
the reSult altogether, or even in large
part, of the change in the status of
the negro. Until comparatively recent
years the interests of the south were
largely agricultural. and there was
nothing in any of the republican poll
cies that promised advantage TO the
agricultural prosperity of the south.
Since the manufacturing industries Of
this part Of the country nave been
largely developed there has been a
steadily growing demand for wider
markets, ard because of the south's
primacy in the manufacture of cotton
goods and its increasing power In the
coal and iron industries, it has occurr-
ed to some rejecting minds that the
south, ven if there should be a COM
plete change in the protective system
Of the government would be able to
hold its own in competition with all
the rest of the world for the trade OF
the world. Besides the question OF
principle, which ought'i in some way to
determine the faith of its people, the
south would not he justified on the
ground Of se~lf-intereSt in throwing its
political strength to the republican,
pdFIE-d parry OF IdISo pIelellCeS, o.
economic theories the falsity of which |
have been amply demonstrated. and
4 party which has been ini1nical In
all OF its long career of rapine and
plumber to the people and the inter-
ests of the south. g.
There is another point which Mr.. |
Taft and his aiders and abettors have
not considered. The solid south mas
been compelled by the solid north. IN
fOrty-siX years there has been only !!
one democratic president and in AL
Of this time the south has been de- |
prived Of anything like proper rep I!
reservation in the government. To
say that the u would have done
better had the south given its ale
glance to republican politics is the |
severest reflection that could be made
upon the good faith and h patriot
ism n honesty of the republican
party and its spokesman, Mr.. Taft.
There are states in the north and
west that have always been solidly
republican. Why upbraid South Car ,
DINA, or Mississippi. or Georgia. or
Louisiana. or n other southern state
for being democratic when Vermont
and Maine. and Pennsylvania have
been for more than a generation almost
invariably republican,? The safety of
the south heretofore has rested in the
unity of its people. There is nothing
for them or for the promotion Of their
interests In breaking away from their
traditional faith. Break the solid
north first, and it might be possible 20
break the solid south, although as the
political faith OF our people is largely
a matter OF principle and not a ques-
ton of e~xpediency we doubt that If the
republican north should go 10 pieces.
the south even then would trade its
principles for the sake of recognition
in the government at Washington
rlaStop News and Courier.