The Washington herald., 1907-02-25
whv the Solid South?

a good Southern man for the Presi-
dency, Certainly. The idea is capital. 1t
is brim full of wisdom. Why not? It is
a happy idea; replete with good fellow
ship and neighborliness. Seek as hard
as you like. and you viii not find a valid
objection TO it. None exists.
The South has any number of men OF
Presidential size. Why not Hannis Tay-
Tor. of Alabama? There is a man, big
Drained, broad-gauged,. and every inch
"a statesman man whose vision is not
restricted to any section, but which takes
in the whole of this blessed country Of
ours; man who stands for something,
and has done something; whose history of
English constitutional law is a textbook
in Oxford and Dublin universities. Then
there is Hoke Smith. OF Georgia. a man
Of action. also: identified with the con-
servatism of Cleveland formerly. and now
aligned with the radical element of his
party-young. virile, progressive, and gov
ernor-elect of the Empire State of the
South. Looking further, to the great
Southwest. there looms up the conserva-
tive Culberson; a man among men. OF
high legal attachments. of pure and lofty
character, and representative of the best
ideals of Democracy.
Why not one of this distinguished trio .
Or why not the eloquent Daniel. given
10 the country by Virginia, the Mother OF
Presidents sterling. upright, able son,
that performs his every duty with honor
and integrity? OR Watterson, of Ken
lucky, stout Of heart and strong of pen.
American to his finger tips. and patriot
of patriots?
See the craftsmanship revealed by a
cursory glance over that rich field below
the Mason and Dixon Line-a cursory
glance only,
But why ask the question? It answers
itself. It has been answering itself all
these years, since the country came to-
gether, and answering it invariably in
the affirmative. Why not stop talking
about it? Let US ask a question more TO
the point, II is this: Is there any good
reason why these statesmen we have
mentioned. or others we might mention
should be particularly identified with any
one section? Is such differentiation not
cut of place in this year Of our Lord 1907?
over four decades have passed since the
tragic episode that led TO such differen-
tiation. There is no sectional feeling to-
day. Then why any sectional line? The
son of Alabama, or Georgia, or Texas, or
Virginia, or Kentucky is our countryman.
ard as our countryman let him be con
sidered. Away with geographical con-
sideration! It has no part in our present
day equation
But there is another question, more i'm
portant still Why should there be a
solid South? Can any one tell? We con-
fcss we cannot The nation needs two
strong political parties It feels that
need to-day II is feeling it more every
day. Public interests are not well con-
served without two. But a party that can
count upon a vast section for support
regardless of man or issues; a party that
can do what it likes and still pre-empt
a fixed number Of electoral vOtes-a party
that builds itself upon such a foundation
IS not, and never viii be, the strong and
helpful party the country wants il 10 be-
1t is time to have done with the whole
arrangement II has OUtIived its useful
ness-Outlived it years ago.