The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-12-10

sions by the individuals forming soci-
ETY."
Mr. Taft referred to the trials of the
reconstruction period which acccum.
atci be- greater trials of thr past aud
the slow return of prosperity TO the
south following the civil strife as fur
thcr agencies that helped To- keep
alive the feeling cngcudrrrd by that
controversy aud continue
"Bu. times change an men change
with them i'm any community. how
ever fixed IT'S thoughts or habits and
many circumstances have blessed MS
with their influence in this matter
The growth of the south since 1890
has been marvellous The mauurac.
lures of the south now exceed the az.
ricultural PREDICTS and thus @ complete
change has come over the character
Of It's industries The south has hc.
come rich and only the surface OF
its wealth has been scratched. Its
growth has exceeded that OF the rest
OF the country and it is now In every
way sharing It's prosperity
The democratic party has not pre-.
served inyiolate its traditional doe
trincs as to states rights and other
issues and has for the time adopted
new doctrines of possibly doubtful
truth ami wisdom. Southern men ad-
herring To the party and the name find
themselves through the influence of
tradition and the fear of restoration
of conditions which are now imrossi-
BILE, supporting platform and cdndi.
date whose political and economic
theories they distrust Under these
conditions. there was In the last cam
paign. and there is today throughout
the south among many of tis most in.
te!ligent citizens an impaticucc. a
nervousness and a restles-uoss in yot-
ing for one ticket and m rejoicing in
the success of another
u believe that the movement away
from political solidity has started and
ought to be encouraged. and ! think
one way to encourage it is 10 have
the south understand that the atti-
tuie of the north and the republican
party toward 1t is not one of hostility
or criticism or opposition, political or
otherwise; that they believe in the
of the Fifteenth amend.
ment, but that, as already explained.
they do not deem that amendment toI
he inconsistent with the south obtain.
ing and maintaining what IL regards
as it's political safety from domination
of an ignorant electorate that the
north yearns for closer association
with the south that its citizens de.
precate that reserve on the subject of
politics which so long has been "a. in
taned in the otherwise delightful so
relaJions between nDrtheners and
northerners, as they are more and
more frequently thrown together
"We believe the solution of the race
question in the south Is largely a mat
ter Of industrial and thorough educa-
tion. Some southerners who have Civ.
en- expression to their thoughts seem
to believe that the only solution of
the negro question is his immigration
TO Africa but to me such a PROPOSE.
tion is utterly fatuous. The negro Is
essential 10 the south in order that Il
may have proper labor. Their ances-
tors were brought here against their
will. They have no country but this.
They know no flag but ours. They
wish to live under it and are willing
to die for IT, They are Americans.
THE recent election has made II
probable that shall become more or
less responsible for the policy Of the
next presidential administration. and
'''''' ''i'' 'pl'l NAllAAN 10 say lldl
nothing would give me greater pride,
because nothing would give me more
claim TO the gratitude of my fellow
citizens If could so direct that policy
in respect TO the southern states as
to convince its intelligent citizens Of
the desire Of the administration to aid
them In working out satisfactorily
the serious problems before them.
and of bringing them and their north.
ern citizens closer and closer In SYM
pathy and point Of view.
II pray that It may be given to me
to strengthen this movement to oblit-
crate all sectional lines. and leave
nothing of differences between the
north and the south save friendly
emulation for the benefits of our com.
mon country