The Washington times., 1908-10-11
G. 0. P. LOOKS TO THE SOUTH
THEN SAYS, WHATS THE USE"
Democracy in That Fair Land Is Like Club and Even
Milady FrownS Upon Leaning Re-
publcanward.
By JAMES HAY, Jr.

CINCINNATI. Ohio. oct. lO.-when
William Howard Taft abandoned HIS
plan Of making an extended trip
through the Southern States. he was in
fuenced chiefly by his realization of
the lact that in the South the Demo-
cratic party is a society club rather
than a political organization.
His ideas. on this subject are correct,
according to advices he has received
from most OF the States in that section.
SOutheTners are born into three things,
alteration Of lovely women. skill in
horseback riding, and allegiance 10 the
Democratic party. All the heHdstOnes
IN the Southern cemeteries bear Demo-
cratic epitaphs. II they are not en-
graved on the stones. they are written
between the lines. They had 10 BE-.
If they hadn't, burial n the church
yards would have been denied to the
deceased.
That Is how strong Democracy used
TO be IN the South, and It Is almost
that strong now. In some communi-
ties, the sons Of Democrats have voted
the Republican ticket and escaped so
Cial ostracism-but not often. The
breaking away from the Democratic
hosts consists in the uprooting Of fam
lily traditions. the destruction OF social
creeds aid the risk Of becoming n pa
riah in the land BY Inheritance and
cradle training, the men u the South
bow over Ny Lady's hand and fight
Republican doctrines with equal ease.
Ard, by the same 'Oxen. Ny Lady
breaks hea g ana the Republican
strength win .ha wave IF her fan or
the lift OF her eyebrows
Just Like Pillory.
There are today whole States in which
TO be a Republican is equal to climbing
into the pilory and asking the entire
population TO shy bricks at you and
tell you what they really think of you
They may have loved you like a brother
before you turned Republican" but
afterward they waste neither affection
nor esteem when by chance they let
their scOrning thoughts dwell upon you
for the fraction Of a second. There are
IN other States cities when a Republi-
can can get into german club about
as easily as a camel can do his famous
vaudeville act Of going through
reedle's eye.
The only really Southern State which
the Republican managers think they
have a chance Of carrying is Tennessee
And It is safe to say that every time
one Of the real Tennessee families hears
the report, everybody in the house gets
a hammer and beats f-antically on all
the furniture, including The piano and
the kitchen stove. Shades Of sorrow
and spirit Of woei II the Republicans
carry Tennessee. the State will TesoUnd
with Democratic garruIity equal t. that
of John Wesley Gaines Secession VIII
again become a live issue, and mourn
ing will possess the face Of the earth.
But the chance the Republicans have
there IS due 10 the many Northerners
and Westerners who have gone into the
State and set up factories and other
business undertakings. This element
in the State is very large. and It is on
these men and their work that Requb-
hcan hopes are conferred At that, It
IS not a large. gIittering. binding hope.
II is a small, reasonable hOpe-one that
will not die hard II the Democrats win
the fight
Upon the other states Of the solid
South the campaign managers are vast
ing no time When a party IS so strong
that any one who orcaks away from It
is apt to be tarred and feathered. what's
the USE II a young man, pIouI N tlt
possession Of twenty-One s-ears and the
right TO one vote, let's his mind dwell
on the possibility Or giving his first
political prOnOuncemeHt 10 the Repuh-
leans, he shivers, shudderS, and recoils-
Why Does He ShiveT7
Why does he shiver, shudder. ana re-
coil? In the first place, he doesn't want
the doors Of the best families to slam
in his face so suddenly that they nip
off a foot. In the second place. the
balls and the germans look good 10
him In the third place, what's the use
Of being a Republican when all your