The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-08-06


depression south Ihat We did north As
many Of our people will remember pri-
walton and suffering reigned supreme
among all classes of laboring people
here. This was only twelve years after
the Civil War. Tire thirty-one years
intervening till now has made much
more rapid progress towards the great
'New South" of to-day.
! The Civil WarcloseG, leaving destruc-
ton in Its wake from the center to cir
conference practically leaving nothing
/ to begin home life with. No seed to
plant and raise crops from, homes brok-
en- III, stock of all kinds scarce and very
high in price, especially was this the
case in the matter of work stock to
p!ow and cultivate their crops. The
/ worst feature IN these conditions. there
Wa no money to buy with, their cur
/ rency had become worthless. Had not
Gen. L. S. Grant, in his magnanimity,
/ refused to include in the term of sur
/ render at AppotomaX the army horses.
/ saying TO the Confederates to take their
/ horses nome with them, that they would
need them to pillow their land and cult
vate their crops, noble people Of a
/ lost cause would have been in still
worse condition without their horses.
/ BY no means the least of calamities
! brought on by four years of war, blood
/ shed, loss OF human life. and destruc-
! ton Of property, there were left in the
| southern states about four million eX-
slaves, ninety-nine out of a hundred
We're not in condition for self support.
These were a great loss and burden to
! the people Of the southland. But. to
them the assassination of one of the
wisest Of the presidents Of the United
States was the greatest calamity.
/ Thousands Of people north and south
! believe vet had not Mr. Lincoln been
removed by the hand Of an assassin the
negro problem of the country would
have been settled following the close of
the war The new south of to-day is
nobly recovering from all Of these re
! verses and burdens. The sons and
! grandsons Of the old slave holders have
been taking off their coats and pushing
up their sleeves above their elbows and
personally experimenting their affairs
they regard labor as a necessary adj
| janet to proper elevation of morals
and religion. These institutions are
upon a solid basis. Churches of every
denomination are in a happy condi-
ton and are doing splendid work for the
MasCer. Their schools, from the prim-
AIRY to the college, are among the best
in this God-blessed country of ours.
| Out of the churches and schools have
come the champions of temperance,
/ which is spreading like a mighty sea of
| glory over the beautiful south land.
! Not Republicanism nor Democracy, nor
| Prohibition, has done this great work
singly and alone-but the people rising
in their might, are throttling the great
est enemy of mankind. Prohibition has
| become necessity IN the great centers
Of the colored population, as well as
among a certain class of whites. 1t Is
contended by the business men that to
simply restrict the traffic does not pre-
duce the desired effect.
The southern states are getting out
of the old ruts and taking up new ideas
and new methods in agriculture and
! commerce, and have become the gate
way to the nations new destiny. 1t
needs the best class of immigrants. and
they will measure the supply to the de-
mand. Soon the commerce of the south
will TEEN, and lines of steamers lying
the American flag, will carry its pro
duets along the coast lines OF South
America. All this, and much more
could be said, quote Secretary Strous,
of the Department of Commerce and
Labor, in an address before the Savan-
nah Board of Trade: Formerly the
south was spoken of as if il were undi-
vided in its politics, and in its aspira-
tions. Today 1t is the strongest bidder
for immigrants. 1t has the highest re-
wards for capital, it is enthusiastic
over chief domestic undertakings, such
as the canal and American home com
merce. it is loyal to the foreign enter
prises Of the government, it is distinct
ly national and thoroughly hospitable
to IDEAS for its advancement in common
with the rest of the country"
Without disparagement to others it
was republican presidential nominee.
Mr.. William H. Taft, who struck firm
ly the key note of southern nationalism
that has been vibrant ever since his not
able address upon the south in national
relations. In little over thirty years
its railroads have multiplied over five
fold in trackage, its cotton factories in
the same period have advanced from
eleven, to one hundred and sixty-thr e
millions in out puts. As the secretary
points out the furtherance of com
merce must be by close understanding