The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-08-27
THE SOUTH'S PETITION

THE SOUTH'S PETITION
A correspondent writing to the Char-
I0tte Observer on that papers despair
that our section will never again be OF
force nationally in politics. states that
as it is conceded that northern opinion
would cheerfully consent to the sOuth'S
predominence if the votes We're secured,
the fault must be with ourselves.
We think this is very true. 1t is the
south's own fault that her men have
not taken a more prominent part in the
affairs"Of the nation in the last twenty
years It has not been because she
did not have men qualified by natural
abilities and education to come to the
front in national politics. She has had
a plenty of men who could have made
themselves the peers of any man in
public life from the states of the 9TH
er sections Of the country. Her public
men have held back because of feelings
Of false pride or Indifference. They
have forgotten that they owed it to
their states, their section and to the
behalf of the common country. The cor
respondent Of The Observer offers
with difidence" this solution Of ex-
listing conditions:
Southern democratic politicians are
content with the control of their
states and the enjoyment of the con-
greSSional representation of those
states in the two houses at Washing
ton, and have really no ambition be-
yond this. [ think the action of this
class of men daily and hourly bears
me out, and the experience of those
who know them and have mad to
watch them, either as rivals or foes,
is invoked by way of DroOf-the case
not admitting Of Jury proof.
Whether they feel the weight Of
the nation to be more than they
can carry with credit whether the
wet blanket of. the long past civil war
obtrudes itself on their vision and
fear of the few remaining FOrakers
of the north stands in the way. I
cannot say: nor perhaps could they
say. They have no stomach for the
fight for some reason.
In 1886 they discovered signs of a
revolt in some of their bailiWicks
which were not lost upon them. This
was noticeably true in North Carolina
and by 1888 the fences were carefully
repaired along the state line and
the national party left to care for it
self.
In 1894 the thunder of revolt was
heard far and wide. The railroads
,were supposed TO, take d hand in the
revolt: but certainly the cause was
far outside the state and in no way
connected WITH the state aomrnistra-
tiOn of affaiE-GOgernOr Carr and
his advisers being men after the al
liance's heart.
, Whether correctly or not, the
average democratic politician in one
section feels that a triumph of his
party in the nation vastly imperils
his home importance and renders in
secure his home maiOrities. Mr..
Bryan's repeated defeats for the pres
idencv. instead of RELOCATING him to
the rear. make him Of all men avail
able under the theory Just prOpOund-
ed. You can understand his support
in no other way COnSOnant with hu-
man experience
g This solid south performance
viewed as a compromise among tbs
politicians IS IL every way creditabls
to the astuteneSs of the makers on
both sides of the line. Ot its effects
financially and in lowering the tone
of our southern states to the gra de
of poor cousins ] will not speak. Its
continuance as an active factor rem
ders idle the talk of building up,
southern republican party. Irasmuch
as the midwife is committed in ad-
vance to. the strangulation of the
babe; and, Yet the birth of the babe
would be a blessing teyind caEula-
ton in forcing the south to the front
and causing a contest in every cOun-
~ in her borders OH questions far
higher than dispersarv or no dis
pensary. coca-cola on Sunday or no
cOca-cofa.
1t IL with these questions that we
are now occupied dll i is time te
&C TO bed. @kades of Calhoun amt
Jackson arise.
Shades of Calhoun and Jackson" If
these two southerners cOul0 return TO
the scenes of their active POLITICAL life
what would be their cry? n would be
Cowarisi CowarGfs, They would cry out
against the eowardice and the want
OF patriotism On the paPt Of the men
on whom they thought their lnantles
had fallen. They would be hOrrified
al the manner in which these men of
the south-nen as veil qualified as
themselves TO hold the refns of
governmene-had shrunk from the per-
formance Of their duty to their section
and to their country. The south is
fully able to take the position she oc-
cupied In the councils of the nation in
that period reaching up to the war be-
tween the states. That she does not
do 50 is the fault of her public men
and OF her people.