The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-12-16

help to keep alive the feeling en-
gendered by that controversy, and
continued:
But times change and men change
with them in any community, how
ever fixed it's thoughts OF habits,
and many circumstances have blessed
US with thier influence in this mat
ter. The growth of the South since
1900 has been marvellous. The mad
ufacturing capital in 1880 was $780,
O0O, 900; in 1890, $65O,o0o,O00; in
1900, s1,150,000,O00 and in 1908,
s2,1O0, 900, 900, while the values of
the manufacturers increased from
s45O,OO0,OO in 1880. to s900,000,-
600 in 1890, to s1,450,000,00 0 in
1900, and to $780, 100000 in 1908.
"The farm products In 1880 were
s66O,OOO,O 900; in 1890, s770,000,-
600; in 1900, $1,270,O00,OO0, and
1908, $2,2O0,000,0 900. The exports
from the South in 1880 were $780,
0OO, 900 of dollars; in 1890, $685.
600, 900; in 1900, $4S4,0O0,OO0, AMI
in 1908, $64S,O0O,0 00.
".In this marvellous growth the
manufacturers of the South now ex-
coed the agricultural products and
thus a complete change has come
over the character of her industries.
| The South has become rich, and only
| the surface of her wealth has been
scratched. Her growth has exceeded
that of the rest of the country, and
| she is now in every way sharing In
it's prosperity.
State Rights and Democracy.
again, the Democratic party has
not preserved inviolate its traditional
doctrines as to State rights and 9TH
err issues and has for the time adopt
ed new doctrines of possibly doubt
full economic truth and wisdom.
Southern men adherirg to the party
and the name find themselves,
through the influence Of tradition
and the fear of a restoration Of con-
| ditions which are nov impossible,
supporting a platform and candi-
date whose political and economic
| theories they distrust. Under these
conditions there was in the last
campaign and there is throughout
the South among many of its most
intelligent citizens an Impotence, @
nervousness and a restlessness ii
voting for one ticket and rejoicing in
| the success of another.
"Now I am not one of those who
are disposed to criticise or empha-
size the inconsistency of the position
in which these gentlemen find them
selves. I believe 1t would be wise
if all who sympathize with n party
and its principles were to vote its
| ticket, but I a readily understand
| the weight and inertia of the ira
dition and the social considerations
that makes them hesitate. I be-
lieve that the movement away from
from political solidity has started
and ought to be encouraged and
think n way to encourage it IS to
have the South understand that the
attitude of the North and the Re-
publican party toward it Is not one
of hostility or criticism or opposit-
ion, political or otherwise; that they
believe in the maintenance of the
18th amendment, but that, as al
ready explained, they do not deem
that amendment to be inconsistent
with the South's obtaining and main
tanning what it regards as It's pol!t-
ical safety from domination Of an
ignorant electorate; that the North
yearns for closer association with the
South; that it's citizens %deprecate
that reserve on the subject of poll
tics which so long has been main
tanned in the otherwise delightful
social relations between Southerners
and Northerners as they are more
and nora frequently thrown togeth-
er.
"In welcoming to a change of
party %affiliation many Southerners
who have been Democrats We are
brought face to face with a delicate
situation which we can only meet
| with frankness and Justice. In our
anxiety to bring the Democratic
Southerners into new political re'a-
tons We should have and can have
no desire to pass by or ignore the
comparatively few white Southern
ers who from principle has consist
emily stood for our principles in the
South when it brought them social
ostracism and a loss of all prestage.
Nor can we sympathiZe with an effort
to exclude from the support of Re-
publicanism in the South or to read
out Of the party those colorei voters
who by their education and thrift
have made themselves eligible t en-
ercise the electoral franchise.
Matters of Education.
eve believe that the solution of
the race question in the South Is
largely a matter Of industrial and
thorough education. Some South
e"ners who have given EXPRESSION to
their thoughts seem to thing that
the only solution o. the neg-o ques.
ton is his migration TO Africa; but
to me such a proposition is utterly
fatuous. The negro is essential to
the South in order that it may have
proper labor. Their ancestors were
brought here against their will.
They have no country brt this.