Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-27
The Conversion Of Hannis Taylor.

The Conversion Of Hannis Taylor.
Hannis Taylor of Alabama is the Ia
test southern Democrat of prominence
to stand up and tell his fellow citizens
that the South is making the mistake
of it's life in remaining solidiy Demo-
cratic Mr.. Taylor was minister to
Spain during Cleveland's administra-
ton and more recently was one of the
lawyers to appear on behalf of this gov
| eminent before the Alaska boundary
commission. He is rated as one of the
ablest lawyers Of the South, where he
WAS born and where all his life has
been spent. He is not convert made
10y President Taft's invasion of
the South, although in his article he
speaks frequently of Taft Republican,
ism," and the appearance Of the article
Just at this time is of special signiti-
cance 1t is published in the North
American Review and it discusses ia
,nilidr subject with new emphasis ana
with new note of appeal He argues
is very bad for the South itself, ard
bad for The country, too. He tells in
his article the familiar story of how
the solidity came about. He cites the
President letter to Mr.. Meredith of
Richmond and Judge Taft's speech at
the dinner of tine North Carolina Socie
ty in New York city as convincing evil
ience that there's no longer any rea
son for it or sense in it. He points OUT
that the once altogether agricultural!
South is now--very large and ever in
oroasingly-a mining and manufacture
the heels of Pittsburg, Pa. He brings
Into clear view the vita: and ever grow
ing Importance to the South of foreign
commerce and oversee markets. He
remarks that for every dollar dropped
by the Panama canal into the till of
Boston fifty will be dropped hy it into
the tils Of Mobile and New Orleans.
Why, then, should tie people of the
South hesitate longer to take their
ri3htful place and enjoy tl;eir rigftful
influence in the political Lille of the
country, its public affairs, the making
of its laws and shaping of it's policies:
What is here for them in isolation and
political self-efracement? Early in his
review article DR. Taylor says:
"In the last two Presidential contests
the organized political power of tic
South, with little or no help from
without, dashed itself hopelessly
against the organized political power
OF the rest of tie Union. When con-
trlsted as to population and wealth.
the relative strength of the cOmbatants
in the last battle stood as follows: The
total population, according to the CEN
sus of 1900, of the states which cast
their electoral votes for Mr.. Bryan Is
"A, 060 53S; their total wealth, $15, 1863. 645,
$50. The total population of the states
which cast their electoral votes for MI
Taft is 50,9i5,017; their total wealth,
ST., 545, 347, 1872. Intrenched behind such
a victory, with such an aggregate of
population ana wealth supporting him
is it at all likely that statesman as
able. as experienced, as patriotic, as
human as Mr.. Taft can be dislodged ill
the next eight years? When the end
of that period arrives, what will it
political chieftain from the North or
1 N.,ct hoy ori.
cation, to inevitable disaster in a fresh
conflict involving national issues that
are not SECTIONAL
At the end of the review article he
says. Among the more thoughtful men
of the South, who make a systematic
study of the science of government and
diplomacy. there is large and growing
body who perfectly understand Cd that
John Marshalls rational and practical
system of constitutional construction is
Il necessary element in our national
growth: CO that the Jeffersonian idea
of territorial and trade expansion is
the key to the South's future develop
ment. That large and growing body
VIII not permit itself to be forced much
longer to profess allegiance to q set of
extinct political theories by the specter
of a danger that has passed away"
1t isn't to be expected that this arti-
Gle or many like it, or that the CONVEX
sion of Mr.. Taylor or of many like him
is going to swing the South or any con-
siderable part of it at once into the Re
publican column. but the attitude TAX
en- by this distinguished southerner,
long leader of his party, is Il whole
The South is coming all right and it is
Just a question whether it will arrive
in this generation or the next.
Milk Facts and Figures.
There are wide differences between