Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-27
CLAIM OF SOUTH PRESENTED
APPEALS TO DEMOCRATIC
PARTY FOR RECOGNITION.
Statement Of the Committee Ap.
pointed by the Convention Held
in Nashville, November 12.

The following address has been issued
by the committee Appointed by the con-
vention held in Nashville. Tenn, Novem-
her II, for the purpose of considering the
nomination of a southern democrat for the
presidency Of the United States:
The democratic party had its birth in
the south. Thomas Jefferson, who was
the founder Of the party and the original
promulgator of democratic principles, was
a southern man. The greatest successes.
Of the party were under the leadership OF
southern men, yet for more than ha-f
century the south has furnished no demo-
cratic candidate for the presidency. The
national democratic party has nominated
no southern man tor the nrst place Oh
the presidential ticket since it was led bJ
James h. Polk, in 1S44. During ali tnese
years the south has furnished a majority
OF the electoral votes in behalf OF north
ern candidates, and claimed nothing for
itself.
I'VE approach the subject in no sec
uonal spirit. The south is no outlying
province and the recognition OF a south
ern man would, more than anything else,
emphasize the unity of the nation. The
spirit that inspires this movement Is en-
tirely national. The executive and cabinet
officers and our diplomatic representative
abroad for many years have come from
one section of the nation and to continue
that policy would be to give the govern
n.ent an aspect Of sectionalism. The fu /
and free participation of tie south in "a.
affairs of the govarnment would obliIer-
ate that idea. 1t is with a view Oh ac
complishing this desirable result that TINS
movement is begun.
We do not wish to nominate man
unless he stands pre-eminently for states
manship and executive ability, but We
have a firm and abiding belief that there
are many men of that character in tn
.ltrfr, u
men who would measure up to the stand
ards Of the founders of democracy and
the men of those times when southern
craftsmanship attracted the attention OF
the world. In all qualities of leadership
the south is not behind other sections
and at this particular time ii has me
equal to the best that the past has pro-
duced.
AS southern democrats. we present
this claim of the south to the democrats
of the nation and ask their sympathy
and support, and ask that they remember
the fidelity with which the south has
always adhered TO the democratic cause.
The democracy of the south is entirely
free from the domination of corporate in
terest and predatory wealth. At the
same time the south has always been re-
garded as the bulwark of conservatism
and the victory of the democratic party
under southern leadership would m an
the restoration of the government to those
principles which were laid down by the
founders of the republic when that gov
eminent was considered best which gov
erned least.
The convention. which this committee
represents, adopted unanimously a resolu-
ton pledsing itself to work for the Sc
lection of delegates from Tennessee to the
national democratic convention in 1888 in
favor of the nomination of a southern
man FOR President, andswe ask the dem
ocrats or every state in the Union TO CO.
operate with us In bringing about this de-
slrabie end. This movement is entirely
impersonal and not in the interest of any
special candidate. Our sole desire is TO
present the south as the best source from
which an available candidate can be
drawn
Signed: James ID. Porter. E ShaDarS
". r. Webb. r. II. Yancey Leigh
Thompson, r. l.. Burch