The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-11
DEBT TO BE PAID.


 Recently The Advertiser reprinted from it's files of 1898 a letter written by Mir. Cleveland in March of that year to The Alcahest, at Atlanta. and which was copied by this paper. In that let ter Mir. Cleveland alludes to his course in appointing representative Southern men to positions in his Cabinet and to other important places. The Charlotte Observer copies the letter and speaks of the time when the South sat at the table ofsits fathers" as it expresses 1t. Why" our contemporary asks, "did the South every kick over the ta- ble where 1t sat as high as any, bit- teriy curse it's generous friend precise ly at the time when he was heroically struggling with a crisis whose cause lay quite elsewhere, and go helter- skelter after the false gods of Populism and debased currency? The student of strange popular delusions will find much material here. He may well be tempted to conclude that the immense size of this country Is it's salvation crazes running their course in some sections before seriously injecting oth- CTS. But let not Mir. Cleveland's good ness to the South pass unremembered | The letter presented above shows no bitterness in consequence of the in- gratitude already displayed; the fur ther ingratitude of forgetfulness can. at least, be avoided. There are great amends due from the South to MT. Cleveland, and 1t is high time for a beginning of payment"
 The Observer does well to ask that question, but we doubt if any satisfac- tory answer can, be given it. The ways of men are sometimes past finding out. and the crazes that sometimes take possession of whole sections are among the mysterious happenings of human ity Of all sections of the Union. the South had most cause to stand by MT. Cleveland, not only as a matter of sim- pie justice. but Of gratitude. If any section had cause to remain loyal to him. to stand by him and defend him against the maIevo1ent hatred of those who hated him for his virtues, the only President the country has had since the war who regarded the South as an integral or collective portion of the American Union; not to be fattered, petted or cajoled. but to be regarded without prejudice or partiality, either one way or the other. He not only selected representative Southern men for high places. but chose representa- tive Confederates for positions of hon. or and trust. And for all his fairness and kindness. he received what can only properly be called base insrati- tude, coupled with abuse and misrep- resentation from those who should have stood by him in every emergency. | It was a strange return from a people who have always been noted for their chivalric manhood and their sense of fairness and justice to all. The student of human nature will here find a prob- lem that will tax his powers to the limit. It will puzzle him to tell why a people with the character and reputa- ton so long enjoyed by Southerners should not only have shown them- selves wanting in gratitude but in. jus tice as well; why they should have | turned and rended the man who had not only befriended them in all ways, but who was in the right when they sought to discredit him. Those ques- tions may be some day settled, but they are conundrums at present, as they have been for years.
 But time at last sets all things right we are told, and we believe that the time is not far distant when the people of the South will do justice to the man who was just to them. He may not live to witness the complete return of that sanity which alone can cause our people to regard Mr. Cleveland as he deserves to be regarded by them. but we believe 1t will come, and we agree with The Observer that 1t is high time for them to make a beginning to- wards paying the debt. Debts of gratitude. as well as others, are better paid late than not at all. but this is one that has been put off too long. and even if 1t must be paid by instalments that is better than to repudiate 1t en- tirely. We believe 1t will be paid, for we have not lost faith in Southern manhood and fairness. Crazes in politi- cal matters. as well as In other things, must run their course and then reason will resume its sway. May the time soon come when the South will regard MT. Cleveland as he deserves to be re- garded by them, as a just, fair-minded statesman and an unflinching Demo- crat.
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