Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1908-05-13
Posto6ce Prescott Ar mail
Editorial Comment

of thousands of the people of that section of the eosatry have accepted these ideas and believe in these priu. ciples, and yet they keep right ou voting the democratic ticket; the south continues solid.
 There is undoubtedly plenty of re. publican ogdaion, but dare are too few repubiieaa votes. ....
 Now, can this be changed. and can these men wso believe republican doc. trine be persuaded to support it at the ballot boxt This is . eonsumm ma. ton devoutiy to bs wished for. The ant thing is to hnA out tho cause. The existence of great political par. ties fairly balance, and their eager contests for the control of public af, fairs, arc of inGaleulsbls beneGt iu . free country. We could not do with. oot them. But when party lines arc so drawn ss to separate section from section. aud clsss from ciss, they are . great and dangerous evil. Either n solid north or q solid south Is 10 be dsPreeated and deplsred. Far better have some republican states in the sonta and some democratic states in the north than to have either section vote solidly by itself and as against the other.
 To expect to break up the solid south by manipulating the negro vote is the shcercst folly. We have been trying that for forty years, and have ignomiously failed. lf the e6ort should succeed 1t would be a calamity, as it would mean 2 perpetual war not merely of classes, but of races, a thing intolerable in a republic.
 Unfortunately, the republican orssn' ization as known in tne south has not been of such . character ss to com mand the respect of the people there. It has provoked their ,distrust, their hostility and their deteststion. It has been made up largely of federal odiee holders or seekers, many of them imported from other states, and who are where taey are for political reasons only. Too many of them are simply pushing, intriguing and not overscru' pulous political adventurers. They too seldom represent what is best, and too often what is worst in the republican party. Any open minded man who will travel through that part of the coun- try, and talk with the most sensible and fair-minded people, will fad this to be true. We may as well be hon. est enough to eonfesa it, aAd if possi- ble, mend it. 70,
 President Roosevelt personally is i'm. mensely popular in the south, and in no part of the country, are the main features of his administration more warmly commended. The people open ly praise him, and loudly shout their approval of his measures, and yet they will not vote his ticket
 Why has not this great body of opin. ion and of feeling been brought to the support of his cause at the point where only 1t will countf It is the shortcoming, if not the sasme of the party, that this has not been done We have no doubt that the president sees clearly the difficulty. Why, then, has he not corrected itf Simply be. cause even he, with his enormous on. ergy, cannot do everything He has had on his hands . tremendous task With herculean strength he has grap pied with it and mastered 1t. But this other great task of reeonstructinR the republican organization in the south making 1t fairly represent, the ideals the aims and the spirit of the party ., large, and 80 fitting 1t to command the respect and conHdenee of the people and able to win their good will and tasir hearty support ct tho ballot box, this he has been unable to undertake Mr. Taft, or whoever his sucssssos may be will have A g,~SA ooro ,<~ m