The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-12-11
ours very truly,
JOHN S. BEARD.
Let the Southern Democracy Hold
AIoof

Since 1860 the southern states nave
been practically eliminated from the
Federal councils and as a Federal fac
tor, though it is true that from 1861 to
1866 these states were voluntarily alb
sent from those councils. During the
| past half century the Southern states
have had practically no voice in shap-
ing the policies Of the Federal govern
ment and have been the prey OF the
other sections. Literally, the South
ern states have been the tax pro-
ducers and the other sections of the
Union have been the tax consumers.
For half a century the Southern
| states, each recurring four years,
have sent delegates TO the democratic
| federal conventions, and have been
treated by those conventions simply
| as a party asset. For half a century
the Southern states have been giving
all to the federal democracy and re-
ceiying nothing from that democracy.
For half a century the Southern
states have been denied that full and
perfect equality with the other states
of the Union, which is their cOnstitu-
tiOnal right. The Southern states
have been exploited to enrich the
| other sections, by unjust, discrimi-
mating and dishonest laws, enacted
over their protest by selfish sectional
majorities.
It is time for the Southern states
to assert themselves and take their
proper places il the councils of the
Union and again as a section become
potent factor in shaping the policies
of our common country.
They should and will forever pre-
serve intact their state democratic or
CARNATIONS if for no other reason
than because of absolute white supre-
macy demands the solidity and unity
of the white people.
But they should attend no more
federal conventions. Bound by no
| ties to any candidate for president or
vice-president, elect their electors
and hold them as a balance of power
to determine the election of the candi-
dates of that party which will accord
them the entire measure of their con-
stitutional rights as the full and per-
feet equals of the states of the Union.
After the electors are chosen, and
before the day designated by law Upon
which they shall meet and cast the
vote of their respective states, let the
| electors of all the Southern states
meet at some central point in the
south and decide for which candidates
for president and vice-president the
electral vote Of the entire south shall
be cast.
The Southern states, the solid south
the eleven states of the south
which are always and under ali cir
cumstances democratic-have 12O
electoral votes. New York with 80
electoral votes, is pivotal in nearly ev-
cry federal campaign. The south with
120 electoral votes, nearly four times
as many as New York can be the de-
termining factor in every election.
The constitution designs that each
state shall appoint her electors and
that those electors shall determine
after the election, in the electoral
college of their respective states, for
whom their votes shall be cast for
president and vice-president. The
political conventions are extra-consti
tutional-simply party measures
and have in practice reduced the cleo
tors to mere figureheads by requiring
them as loyal party men, to vote fol-
the nominee of the party.
If these states will enforce the
spirit and intent of the constitution il
casting their electoral votes, the
south will again be the great powe,
in the federal government that she
was prior to 1861, and when she i
entitled to by reason of education
ability, craftsmanship, patriotism
and constitutional morality.
While the southern states be
lieve in the eternal, indestructibl,
principles of democracy, they shout,
recognize the fact that a politica
party is not an end, but only
means to an end. The south can en-
force those principles of democracy
which had their birth in the consti
tuition, by holding the balance o
power. She can hold the balance O
power in the way. and only in tn,
way indicated.
The east and the west, with sucl
diverse and conflicting interests, will
soon be at each others throats if they
have not the south as a common tar
get. They would be pretty nearl,
equal in political strength. The
south, holding the balance of power
can decide elections in favor of thai