The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-01-21
to give It additional importance In
the councils of the nation

the councils OF the nation.
81 have not come down here for
political purposes, and am not here
to preach a political propaganda. nor
IL / were would I expect a political
revolution In any of the States of the
South. A political change. II II
comes. In my judgment, must come
by a continuance Of the present
movement. to-wit: The development
OF independence of political thought
and action on the part OF the COM
paratively small minority. which
shall slowly attain the proportions of
a respectable opposition In each State
to the controlling party.
1.-The South and the Southern peo-
pie are conservative, and they do not
change in q mercurial way. With
them traditions are respected and are
strong motive OF action And IL one
were affected by purely partisan mo-
tives he must regard the effort to
create successful opposition in the
South to the present controlling party
In such a way as to secure electoral
votes In a national campaign as a
waste Of strength and energy.
For Non-Sectional Parties.
Occasionally a member OF Con-
gress may be secured, but this is not
enough to warrant the attention that
ought to be paid to encouraging the
rnnvoropt for vo1ft;oo1 ;rAapard1n~n
and action in the South.
The motive for that must be the
earnest desire of all patriotic men
to make parties non-sectional and to
unite and knit more closely those
parts of the country which a bloody
war once divided, but which now
ought to be, and certainly will be,
in the progress of events. one in feel
ing. sympathy, and aspiration.
81 observe that among some prom
inent members of Congress there Is a
disposition to charge me with the at
tempt to win the South over to Re-
publicanism, and a somewhat con-
temptuous expression of opinion that
this is utterly impossible. To them
would say that am not hopeful of
winning the South over, as they say,
but that the South has succeeded in
winning me.
No Room for Failure.
For never have had a more cor
dial reception in any part of the
country or the world than during my
present visit to Georgia, and as it is
entirely without responsibility for
making Georgia different politically
from what she is, and as / am On a
vacation, in which have little to do
but to enjoy myself and make a cab
met, am not in the slightest degree
worried over the prophecies of failure
which see occasionally in interviews
with prominent Southerners. This is
because there is no room for failure
in my visit to this country.
81 came here for rest and recre-
alton, and I have had both, and /
have found warm and cordial re-
ception and patriotic respect for the
Office into which I am soon to be in
Quoted. Indeed, while Mr.. Roosevelt
is laboring in Washington under the
responsibilities of his great office, l
am enjoying the respect, attention,
and hospitality that patriotic Amer
leans extend to the Office without at
present carrying it's burdens.
"a walk of four miles around
81 L ~ Df Sc r
need to keep the Presidential body
in good condition, whereas Mr..
Roosevelt, in his anxious desire to
nerve the army up to what its men,
bers should be able to do under
stress, must ride ninety miles in four
teen or fifteen hours.
Takes Issue With Friends.
Hence, I take issue with my
friends from the South in Congress,
who in various interviews ascribe
failure to my coming because I think
it has been great success. II my
coming had been partisan, no such
meeting as this tonight would have
been possible, and SO may say of all
the receptions and expressions OF
goodwill that I have received from
point to point throughout this South
ern country, the very success of my
trip, the very reason why 1t gives me
so much satisfaction, is the pro.
nounced non-partisan character OF
the welcome which has been so kind
ly extended to me.
"Now. IL this indirectly makes not
for partisan advantage, but for g
continuance of the movement In IA
vor OF independence of speech ant
action and political tolerance, its re
suit is one that all citizens of what
ever political party must rejoice tt
have brought about"
1t was here that Mr.. Taft took u]
the question OF Federal office-holder
| in the South.
Southera Appointments.
| "The direct local effect Of a ma
tional administration upon tn
South" said he. "is chiefly througl
its local officials, appointed and ex
ercising their functions through tn
section, and therefore the expression
Of the administration toward tn
Southern people takes its color L
the character OF those ofhcials- Tn
administration may be properly hei
accountable and its policy determine
by the qualifications. fitness. an
lstanding of the men appointed to reT
resent 1t In the districts and State
Of the section.
!. ''I realize. therefore, that expire: