The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-12-22
LEST LES WE 4 FORGET.
Senator Bacon Tells Why the
South Will Remain
TRUE TO DEMOCRACY D e

HnnSS - - W.
He Calls Attention to the Fact That
the Efforts of the Republican Par
ty to Convert the South Into
Another Hayti Was Defeated by
the Democratic Party.
Senator A. o. Bacon, Of Georgia,
In a letter to the Savannah Press,
makes striking answers to the in
vitation of the Republican Coolers
for the Southern people to join the
Republican party. We present be-
low some extracts from Senator Ba-
cons letter. He says:
We have of late been advertised
by Republicans high and Republi-
cans low, that it Is their purpose
to seduce the South from its allie
glance to the Democratic party,
which has kept faithful watch and
ward over it's dearest interests
through forty years, and to convert
it to the party of governmental
spoils for the favored few, the party
of absolutism and Of Capitalization
Of power, the party Of profigate ex-
travagance and of oppressive tax
alton. And this is to be accomplish
ed through the superior wisdom of
these high and low Republicans in
pointing out to the people Of the
South how they will be blessed by
being taken into the loving arms OF
political party which, so long as:
there was a possibility of success in
their efforts, strove desperately to-
destroy everything that was worth
living for in the South. The pre-"
sumptuous claim that Republican
policies and Republican rule are ne
cessary for the development of the
South is the veriest rot. Where IN
all time has there ever been such
development of the wealth and re-
sources of a country as there has
been In the South during the last
fort; years of uninterrupted Demo-
cratic rule. Who that turns the
pages that tell Of this wondrous De-
mocratic rule? Who that turns
the pages that tell of this wondrous
wealth of many thousands of NIL
lions of dollars, who that passes
through our fruitful land and views
our cities and town, our broad fields
with their white and golden harvests,
our warehouses and barns bursting
with the garnered cotton and grain,
our stores of merchandise and myr-
lad industries, can fully realize that
this scene Of present marvellous de-
velopment and abounding wealth
was forty years ago but bed Of
desolate ashes.
The Republicans and the South.
The prime factor in the creation
of all this wealth has been the great
agricultural production Of the South
which has overflowed into the pro-
motion and creation of all other in
dustries-and agricultural produc-
ton Of many hundreds of millions
Of dollars each year, which while 1t
has entered most largely into the
preservation Of the balance Of trade
for the whole country, has had no
assistance from the Republican par
ty or its policies, but has depended
for it's gigantic success upon the
rule OF the Democratic party in the
Southern States, preserving social
order, insuring honest and eeonom-
ical local government, and protect
ing all in the rights Of property.
When the Democratic party in its
rule in the Southern States fails
in these particulars, it will be time
enough to listen to the presumpiuous
offer of the Republican party to
undertake through its policies and
guidance, the material development
of the South.
The alluring contention that the
protective policy of the Republican
party is necessary Of the develop
ment of the enterprises of the South
Is plausible but fallacious. At the
outset the proposition is met by the
fact that the largest and most i'm
portant part of the productive bus
Iness of the South is that of ag-
iculture, in which, with a very
small exception, there can be no
aid from the operation Of a protec-
tive tariff. On the contrary, under
that system the agriculturists of the
South. while compelled by reason
of the tariff to pay two prices for
ell they consume and use other than
food supplies, must Of necessity sell
their products Of cotton, etc., Hn
unprotected markets and at unpro-
tected prices. And again, as to all
other enterprises which could be- eff
fected by the tariff, the simple re-
ply is this: Those who advocate
the benefits to be derived from the
protective tariff base their argu-
ments upon the assumption that the
alternative Is between high pro-
tective tariff on the one hand, and
no tariff at all on the other hand
The enormous amount Of revenue
which is necessary to support this
..A.,onI r,ill aluarc rennire a