The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-11
the IS south Is Solid

wv lay
M. Secretary Taft believes that nothing that
could happen In the politics OF this co.'n--
try would work greater advantage to the
country at large, and TO the soutf, u =
particular, than the brehking up Of what
has been properly known ns the solid Soil
South" But that implies that the Re-
publican party must rulc II one or more more
Sot tho Southern statess and that is q q
proposition which no Southern state y
ready 70 entertain. e II 4
Il The people Of the South have abundant "
reason to DO afraid OF the Republican llt ' y.
party ana to diatrust its ieadte' RS even ',n.
when coming with such gracious " '''
as Secretary TAFT used IN l,is Green's s91 n
5boro speech, From Its birth tho Repnlpt1iEll-- .
can party has been the enemy o. st .9Es
South, ana 1t has done little or noth7ins
during the fifty years Of It's existo'ntco'
81 during the past five years o. lts . e*.
istenco, to show that It's heart cart mas mas
changed. that 1t Is any more friendly
Sto5 tho white people OF the soutferh
states Mr.. Tnft rather ridic'ulIes the idea
that In politics we hnvo been governed,
MS he snys, by sentiment, and not by
moro practical considerations. lie nd-
,nonishes is that weslnve not ina,,ife
politically, the Same ENTERPRISE the same san
progressive spirit and the same regard .t \
for future DEVELOPMENT that we 53S nave my!
shown in our business pursuits ~ II ~ sllort,
that we have not kept up with the times,
5polltically speaking (; that we have I; not
carried our business Into our politics.;
that wo have cherished too fonrnddly u our our
ana our sentiments, and nave
paid too little attention to our mo teri ria
lie intilnntes that we should ll|ltl
throw our sentiments and traditions to.
the Wind, and go In for high tariff ana
an appropriation. 553i
II Southern Democrats are not made that
way. They jput principle ahead q OF ex-
pedency and good local government ahead
Of national Legislation. This mi may. not,
in 4 Nj. Taft's opinion. be good 81 politics
and good business. but It Is good morals
But We will meet Mr.. Taft on his own
ground and tell him that It has been cen
good good n business for Sou thern Demo crats,
to stand together and resist the kind OF
government that the Republican party,
with its negro color Is. would have forced
upon us. II We had submitted to the
negro carpet bag regime which followed red
reconstruction, the Southern States would
have been bankrupted and there would
have been no development IN agriculture,
IN Misunderstanding industries, In railroad
building and In commerce. It was ms
posslble for the Southern people to make
any strides In progress until they had
overthrown the carpet-bag government
and taken possession Of their own politi-
chi affairs. !, This was t Il /. first step' ana
the necessary, step In the material de-
velopment which Naa since flowed. 193i
" IN vlew Of all this, even Mr.. Taft may
why the South continues to
be solid why 1t is still unwilling to af-
filiate with the Republican party and and
this, too, without considering the senti-l
mental question. but only the business s
question. The soqqh has been and nd. l Is
solid against Republican rule, not for
sentimental reasons alone. but for self
i K ts ss5 NJ 4. q, M 5t5