The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-12-11

prescription imposed on those white
Southerners who did not sympathize
with the necessity for such solidity
could not but make lasting impress
sion and create permanent bias
that would naturally outlast the rea-
son for its original existance."
Mr.. Taft referred to the trials
of the Reconstruction period which
accentuated the greater trial Of the
past, and the slow returns Of pros
perity to the South folloging the
civil strife, as further agencies that
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 or 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 man
ufacturing capital in 1880 was $780,
100000; in 1890, 900; in
1900, $1,150, 1000, and in 1908,
81, 100, 000, 900, while the values of
the manufacturers increased from
$3.50, 100000 in 1880, to s900,000,-
600 in 1890. to S1,450, 100000 in
1900, and to 2,600,OOO.00O in 1908.
"The farm products in 1880 were
$3.50, 100000; in 1890, s770,DO0,-
900; in 1900, s1,270,00O,O00, anil
1908, $2,2O0,000,000. The exports
from the South in 1880 were $780,
100000 Of dollars; in 1890, $780,
900, 900; in 1900, s4S4,000,000, AMI
in 1908, s64S,000,00O.
"In this marvellous growth the
manufacturers Of the South now ex-
ceed the agricultural products and
thus 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
its prosperity.
State Rights and Democracy.
Again, the Democratic party has
not preserved inviolate its traditional
doctrines as to State rights and 9TH
er issues and has for the time adopt
ed new doctrines of possibly doubt
full economic truth and wisdom.
Southern men adhering to the party
and the name find themselves,
through the influence Of tradition
and the fear of a restoration of con-
ditions which are now 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 impatience, o
nervousness and a restlessness H.
voting for one ticket and rejoicing in
the success Of another.
Now / 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. J. believe it would be wise
If ali who sympathize with one party
and Its principles were to vote its
ticket, but can readily understand
the weight and inertia of the ira
dition and the social considerations
that makes them hesitate. l be-
lieve that the movement away from
from political solidity has started
and ought to be encouraged and |
think one way to encourage 1t 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 its polit-
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
tained in the otherwise delightful
social relations between Southerners
and Northerners as they are more
and more frequently thrown togeth-
er.
'In welcoming to change Of
party afflliation 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 reia-
tions 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
ostracisrn and a loss OF all prestage.
Nor can We synlpathize with an effort
to exclude from the supper. of Re-
publicanism in the South or TO read
out Of the party those colnrri voters
who by their education and thrift