New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-18
uR. TAFT IN THE SOUTH

MIR Tafts speaking trip through hentuchs'
Tonnessee Virginia and North Carolina has
been criticised as an impracucsble venture,
since there is great proba bility that any oh
those states can be persuaded to vote ACCORDING
10 its logical convictions, so long as those con-
victions run counter TO traditional loyalty 10
Presidential candidate officially designated as
a Democrat. 1t is, however, work OF rarsee
ing patriotism worthy of respect the more III
that it is not likely TO be Of material ad'ahlase
to him. The attitude OF the most lnteiiigeht
and influential elements in the south to""i
recent Republican nominees for the fresiueh.!
was we'll illustrated by Mr.. Taft when he sald
Friday at Chattanooga:
There are great many men in the South. ana
doubtless many within the reach or my NoiSe'
who are strictly Democrats. Inc! are ~ pe ~
vided into three classes. The nrst CLASS dlo ~ ~
ing 10 vote for me The second Grass are NJ
going TO vote at ali. and the thlro ciess 81. 80
Ing to vote for my opponent and nope that
shall be elected.
In the first class are the few courageous
Soutberners who are willing 20 follow their con
sciences and defy local custom and prejudice
In the second are the more numerous IukeWarm'
who see the right bit are not Wiling TO WORK OF
fight for it, In the last class are the indoIent
and the time-serving who yield to local pressure
from motives OF convenience and policy it
was made clear enough in 1896, 1900 and 1904
that large numbers of Democrats in the South
nraferred the success of the Republican national
tickets, though few went the length of voting
for the Republican nominees and many voted
for Mr. Bryan and Mr.. Parker II one looks
at the list of subscriptions TO the Democratic
campaign fund from the Southern states he can
find ample proof tn the South Is again support
Ing Mr. Bryan hesitatingly and reluctantly, and
will not be heartbrOken if he is again defeated
Yet he will have the bulk of its electoral vote
Ia, lIha
done or said or stands for, but solely as the
proprietor of a party designation which the
South blindly worships and to whose sacro-
sanctity it still unhesitatngly bows.
There Is little encouragement TO statesman
who deals in plain terms With practical point
ical problems Of the day TO visit communities
in which there can be no rational discussion OF
the realities of politics. The South accepts
any Presidential candidate whom Demo
cratic national convention may select, ana does
not bother to find specific reasons for giving
him It's vote. 1t may be an ultra conservative
one time and an ultra-radical another, but the
same threadbare argument-the necessity OF
Southern soIidarity-serves TO commend each.
Were he to show that he had received the
Democratic nomination. the South would vote
for reactionary or a reformer, for SOCIALIST
a Prohibitionist a Populist or Woman Sunra-
gist Mr. Taft has planned his excursion into
four OF the Southern states more as good
natlIred protest against the Souths self-createo
isolation than in the hope Of making any direct
political gains. He would like to see the South
ern people come out of their shell and enter into
national activities on the same rational OASIS
as the people of other sections. He would Ike
to see them divide in politics along normal
lines and accustom themselves to considering
policies as in themselves wise or unWlse, not
as wise because they are temporarily stamped
as Democratic and as unwise because associ-
ated with Republicanism. Mr.. Taft, the Repub-
Ijcan party's Presidential candidate, invites the
South to break its political letters and to think
out current political problems as the other sec
lions do He will help 1t to think honestly and
freely. so far as he can, in spite Of the fact
that it opposes his election while his rival
enjoying its support will continue to discour-
age ANYTHING like political independence or
progress since it is to the interest Of North
ern Democrats aspiring TO the Presidency to
keep on treating the South as q chattel kept
in bondage by It's prejudices and fears.