The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-06-02

Notwithstanding all these calamities
and in spite of them, the southern peo-
pie have prospered beyond comparison
with the record of any people in the his
tory of the civilized world-until today
the wealth of the southern people ex-
ceeds in value the total wealth of all the
people of the United States in the year
1860.
The people Of the South are in undis-
puted control of their respective State
governments. and are administering
their affairs in wisdom, moderation and
Justice, in such fashion as to challenge
favorable comparison with the best con-
ditions of our State in the best days OF
our republic In this condition OF our
affairs, our own Associate Justice G.. ~.
Woods, in his address to the Bar Asso-
citation of North Carolina states our duty
as follows:
''The task of this generation is to re-
| ''gain our political freedom, to take part
sin the national and international ques-
''tions to choose between the policies OF
national parties, to participate IN the
Government of the United States, to
s'possess the moral and intellectual cul-
''ture which comes from discussion and
responsibility, and to do our part along
with our fellow citizens of other Sec
"tions, in council and in action for the
advancement of our common country.
sThe attainment of this end, without
''the impossible condition of racial mix
"ture in politics and society, is calling
s'for the exercise of the best powers OF
"every patriot in the South; and the
s'necessity to attain it is sinking deeper
s;and deeper into the convictions OF every
"American.'
Thus we have true statement OF the
task which lies before US: and declare
it to be true, that our southern people
have struggled as no people ever strug-
gled before to discharge the duties that
devoled upon them as becomes loyal
American citizens and patriots. But at
every stage OF our progress, since we
laid down our arms and furled our ban
ner at AppomattoX, we have been I'M
peded and embarrassed and loaded down
with unnatural and unjustiiable condi-
tionS, by the reconstruction measures OF
congress, and by the fourteenth and hf-
teenth Amendments TO the Constitution.
Thus upon the threshold Of the as
sumption of our task, and at every step
of GU: career since that day. we have
been confronted by the question which
shall discuss before you this evening.
Whether house divided in itself can
stand, one half white and the other
black
This question is akin to the question
nronoDnded bv Mr.. Lincoln half cen.
tury ago: and is worthy of the best
thought of the wisest men of the times.
Without wise and just solution of this
question, there can be no permanent
peace in our southern homes, and no
abiding prosperity in our southern land.
God grant that we shall have no such
conditions in the next fifty years as we
have had in the last fifty wears: and God
grant that the solution of this question
shall be found in the wisdom OF our sons,
ard not to be heard in the roar of their
guns. That this shall be so should be the
dream of the statesman and prayer OF
the patriot
I believe that we can solve this ques-
ton in peace and in honor. and to the
perpetuity of our Institutions.
Preliminary to the discussion Of this
question, I will state the reasons of the
faith that inspires the conviction, which
animates my soll and dominates my
brain, and then l will lay broad the
foundations upon which the solution
must rest.
In every epoch of American history,
the southern people have bravely met
every issue and wisely solved every
problem, that they have confronted; and
I cherish the abiding faith that our sons
will likewise meet and solve the issues
and problems which may confront them.
When we were under the dominion of
the Mother Country, and it was de-
manded that we should submit to the