The Republican journal., 1909-04-15
SOUTHERN SENTIMENT.

that Theodore Roosevelt is not liked, tC
offices, at least; and this Of course is due
solely to the Booker Washington incident
and the appointment Of a colored man as
collector at the port of Charleston. Aside
from that Mr.. Roosevelt's popularity in
the south would be assured. There is,
however, a great change in Southern
sentiment, and the two sections are more
closely united now than for many years
before their differences resulted in the
Civil War First to ''accept the situa-
tion'' were the South S military leaders
Gordon. Longstreet, Phil Cook, and many
others. who considered their first duty to
their native States, fought bravely, and
when the Union cause triumphed laid
down their arms and renewed their al
legiance to the Stars and Stripes. The
duties of gathering at the National
Capital brought the writer in close con-
tact with many of the Southern leaders,
and their loyalty to the old flag could not
be questioned The Spanish-American
war tended to bring the two sections
still closer together The growth of
manufacturing Industries in the South,
the building of railroads and of palatial
hotels, largely with northern capital, the
migration from the north to the south in
the winter, and from the south to the
~ ,,,,,
ing about a unity of sentiment and in
fostering a pride in our common country.
The change of sentiment in the South is
fifty illustrated in the remarks of Hon.
Seabom Wright of Georgia at the OBJ
servance of the Neal Dow centenary in
Portland He said:
Doesn't it strike you as a little
strange that Southern Democrat, and
the son of a Southern slave holder should
be here to do honor to the memory of
General Dow? 1t ought to show to you
that great change has taken place in
the thoughts and feelings of men north
and south within the past so years. and |
voice the sentiment of the intelligent and
virtuous people of the entire south when
| say that General Dow in his opposition
to the license system was right, and l
voice not only my own sentiment but
those of the people of the South when |
say that General Dow in his opposition
to slavery was right (Applause)
The speaker then told how when a
small child during the Civil War he
shared in the prevailing sentiment of his
section, and said: "But as grew older
studied the lives of Abraham Lincoln,
of Harrison, of Phillips and of Neal Dow
and | have come to love the freedom
they loved" His mother, who had sons
IN J0hnson's army, at first chided him
for his interest in and growing admira-
ton for Lincoln, but at last came to re-
gard him as true friend of the south,
and Of the country.
Uncle Remus's Magazine, edited by
Julian Harris, son of the founder, is
voicing the sentiment of the New South
n the advocacy of political tolerance,
and while receiving hundreds of letters
endorsing this position, it naturally has
some of the other kind. In a recent
issue of the magazine the editor replies
to one Of his hostile newspaper critics,
characteriZing him as lone of the ablest
as well as one of the most virulent of
this Bourbon type-a type whose infiu-
9ncF, fortunately for Georgia and the
south. is too narrow to do any serious in
Jury. This critic asks whether in the
opinion of the editor of the magazine, the
South is REALLY Democratic from prin-
clple, and the latter replies: eve
think the South doesn't know whether it
is We do know that many men who,
scare-crowded by the negro, have
heretofore voted the Democratic ticket,
voted the Republican ticket in the last
national election. We know of other
Democrats who will vote the Republican
national ticket in the next national cleo
ton unless southern Democracy does a
quick-change act" And further:
We charged-and repeat it-that be-
cause the south is solid she is helpless
absolutely without voice or power in the
Democratic party. Is this true? Is it
untrue? Why did you not discuss this in
your editorial? We charged that the
south is cowardly, which means that the
majority of the voters, the majority of
the editors and all the politicians, who
are selected to and pretend to represent
the highest ideals of the south, are cow
ardy; else the south long ago would have
shaken authority and recognition from
the grasp of the hands that cat 's-paw
her every four years in the national
Democratic convention.
We recently printed thoughtful and
interesting letter from Crawford S. Crit
fin, Esq, suggesting that the islands now
held by the United States should be made
neutral territory and outlining the condi-
tons. The same idea has occurred to
others, as witness the following special
from the National Capitol:
Representative Mccall of Massachu-
setts believes that the Philippine Islands
should have their independence and that
if they were independent they should be
neutral territory, so as not to become the
tAeater of wars between foreign powers.
Accordingly he has introduced resolu-
ton requesting the President to open
negotiations with the various nations of
the olohe looking tn an auroernant for