Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-04
Mr.. TAFT IN THE soUTg

The enthusiastic welcoming Of Mr..
Taft to the south, from his reception
at Augusta to his latest interchange
with a delegation of representative
men at Birmingham. has unusual sig
nificapce, IN view of the fact that he
has stated one of his purposes to be to
induce the south to break away from
It's h~ide-bound political traditions. The
south is welcoming Mr.. Taft, not out
Of curiosity, but apparently from a
disposition to get better acquainted
with him and to join him, at least half
way, in any plan for its restoration to
a place in the councils OF the nation.
There is no doubt that the real feel
ing of the south is voiced in the ad-
dress inviting Mr.. Taft to visit Bir-
mingham, in which General Rufus N.
Rhodes, as chairman of the committee
said:
l am going to take advantage Of this
opportunity to say to you that if you
knew the heart and the head of the men
of the south and particularly of Birming-
ham, you would know that they regard
the result OF the last election as "A bene-
diction from God Almighty Himself to
the people of the south over their pro-
test. l am a democrat. Most of these
gentlemen are democrats, but we have
come to love you for your human quail
ties, for we understand that your sym
pathies are broad as the universe, but
because you have come here, sir, injicat-
ing to us that you want the south once
again to hold its place in the councils of
the nation.
General Rhodes is the veteran edi-
tor of one of the biggest and best of
the democratic newspapers of the
south and his expressions must be &C
cepted as reflecting the best sentiment
of the thoughtful men of his section.
Something OF his attitude has been
forecasted by other leading democratic
newspapers of the south and Mr..
Taft's visit will do much to give en-
couragement to those who have been
long working in an effort to advance
from old landmarks and establish in
dependence of thought and political
action in the entire south.
Mr.. Taft does not hesitate to say
that he hopes good may come of his
visit by the political breaking up of
the south to correspond with the po-
titical breaking up of the north maxi
ing politics a subject of uncertainty,
a subject for discussion and independ-
ent action throughout the country. No
greater service could be accomplished
for the benefit of the whole country
than the success of plans to that end.
All observers agree that the trend
toward republicanism is very marked
in the south. The five border states
were republican in their, aggregate
vote last November while in Virginia,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia
and Arkansas, the republican vote in
creased to the point where even the
democrats recognize that the party has
a standing and must be considered a
factor in future campaigns. South
Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi
are the only southern states still COM
pletely under democratic domination
and in which the republican party
does not have a strong, effective,
fighting and growing organization.
The business south is rapidly firing of
bourbonism and coming to appreciate
the fact that its best interests lie with
progressive political policies. Mr..
Taft's appeal to this interest to ally
itself with the side of best govern
ment is bound to have beneficial eff
feet.