The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-02

0<tttt, Oh NOrtn CaTOIlna, ueuVere0 In
his state an address on the subject.
speaking generally Of the restoration
of the South to It's place in the coun-
cils OF the nation. He In a native of
. North Carolina. a republican. the
scion Of an old whig family, and
rooted in the convictions of his fore
fathers His social position is of the
highest, and his fellow citizens. Of
whatever political faith, delight to
90 him honor. al well they may.
Naturally Mr. Settle could not en-
ter into details a. intimately as he
wished. In the first place the domin-
ant party In North Carolina at pre-
( SAINT Is Democratic. and searching
criticism Of Its representatives would
have been infelicitous and might have
aeemed untimely; but, read between
the lines. II was plain enough that
he realised the hopelessness Of en-
deavoring to uplift the South through
the medium Of incompetent and un-
worthy agencies. He is u young man
still. but he knows by legend and
tradition that before the civil war the
South was represented at Washington
by the finest products OF Its wealth.
It's leisure and its civilization. South
erners In those days did not 60 to
congress for the salary involved.
Nine times out of ten they were men
of Independent means. Of assured po-
sitiop. and Of special fitness, rot only
through prolonged study Of public
afEairs. but by the inherited habit Of
conmand. wings or democrats. the
delegates OF these days were men far
removed from sordid cares. indiffer-
ent to the accidents of fortune. and
intent only upon high statesmanship.
and incidentally the exaltation OF
their section. They were gentlemen
In fact-- gentlemen with generations
Of ieadership and responsibility be-
hind them--and bred to conscient-
ious performance Of their public du-
ties. No wonder q practically solid
body of this kind representing the
south In congress made the South
dominant and overruling. i
Mr. Settle did not openly say Us
much for he could not very well do II.
but we can suggest at this Qistance
from the scene that the present sue
ceesors Of the old Southern represen-
tatives In congress need hardly be ex-
pected to imitate them beyond the
point of drawing their salaries. In
very large majority of cases they are
Destitute OF the inspirations and tra-
ditions that made their predecessors
fnrmilahle. They are simply good
euough men. of no particular conse-
Qucnce and without visible back
ground. who play petty politics. air
themselves In the congressional rec
ord for the delectation of red shirted
constituencies. and exert. either In So
ciety or In public affairs, no more In
, fluence than SO many insignificant
crustaceans. II is fine and prosper
Gus arrangement for them, and they
make the most OF II. but the South
has been eliminated from the nation
al equation. and with exceptions just
numerous enough to emphasize the
rule. II might as well be a foreign
country.
The South is prospecting financially
and industrially. It's 'big men" take
the lead In progress and achievement.
but In congress the South Is almost
without successor to the strong
and compelling men Of forty or more
years ago. "Old Anse" McLaurin sits
In the chair once graced by Lamar
OF walthall. Murphy Foster rattles
in the scat that soule. Benjamin.
White and Eustis formerly filled to
bursting. Bankhead replaces Nor
gan. and Smith and Tillman take the
places OF Matthew Butler and Wade
Hampton--to go no further back. 1t
is a disheartening situation.
Maybe the South Is postponing its
political rejuvenation to a secure es
tablishment OF its financial fortunes.
That may well be- The descendants
OF the old leaders still live. but they
are Immersed In works of local i'm
port. and they leave politics to the
riffrar-for the present only. let us
hope. Some day--and may IL be soon !!
they will initiate their ancestors.
leave their fortunes safe behind them.
and bring TO the national councils a
long needed element OF courage. in
dependence and enlightenment.
PYTHIAN CONVENTION.