Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-09-07
IS CERTAIN TO SPLIT THE SOUTH.
New Political Division Near at Hand in
States Now ReckOned as SOIidIJ
Democratic,


1t is paradoxical, but the prospect of
a Democratic victory holds out the sur
est promise of abandonment of the one
party government in the Southern
States Since reconstruction there have
been numerous attempts to establish,
upon one basis or another, a respectable
Republican party in the South, but all
of these have failed. II the effort is to
succeed it will come about, as it should
come, as the result of differences Of
opinion upon an economic question.
The situation which leads US to this
conclusion is revealed by the respective
positions taken by the Southern cotton
manufacturers on the one hand and the
Southern Democrats in Congress on the
other with regard to the revision of the
cotton schedule. The American Cotton
Manufacturers Association, which is
the organization of Southern cotton
mill presidents, at its convention in
Charlotte last May appointed stand
ing committee to represent the Associa-
tion in all matters respecting the Tariff
and other legislation, and this committee
in carrying out the purpose of it's ap-
pointment sought to secure hearing
before the Ways and Means Committee
of the House, and failing in this the
committee presented to Chairman I'm
derwood statements of it's case in the
form of three bulletins, which have
been printed and widely circulated. The
committee, and consequently the South
ern cotton manufacturers, oppose a re-
duction of the Tariff duties on cotton
goods. Necessarily the arguments pre-
sented by the cotton manufacturers
rest upon the doctrine of Protection to
domestic industries, and this is just as
necessarily Republican doctrine. The
Democratic doctrine is a Tariff for rev.
enue only, without regard to Protec-
ton, either incidental or primary. The
Ways and Means Committee did not dis
regard the arguments of the cotton
manufacturers committee, as we IN
derstand it, but the Ways and Means
Committee did not give the manufact-
urers hearing, since it was considered
that the very recent hearings on the
whole Tariff question prior to the form
ulation of the Payne-Aldrich bill afford
ed the Ways and Means Committee all
the necessary information for framing
Democratic bill. But the WAYS and
Means Committee has disregarded the
theory upon which the position of the
manufacturers rests. The WAYS and
Means Committee, the chairman of
which is Southern man, has not per-
mitted sectional considerations to con-
troll its decisions in regard to the Tariff.
Therein lies the genesis of a respectable
Republican party in the South.
For if the Southern cotton mills are
to have Protection the Democratic par
ty, through Chairman Underwood, has
served notice upon them that Protection
cannot be expected from the Democrat
ic party. So far as the Tariff is con-
cerned, the Southern cotton manufac-
turers, who honestly, if selfshly, be-
lieve in the doctrine of a Protective
Tariff, must become Republicans. AS
we understand it, there are Southern
cotton manufacturers who do not be-
lieve in this doctrine, but the records
show at this time that their organiza-
ton is committed to that policy. That
they should accordingly take the leader
ship in the formation of Republican
party, respectable as to its membership
and as to its principles, is altogether
natural. That such a party would find
many supporters than cotton manufac-
turers alone is also certain. The lum-
Der interests in many of the Southern
States are extensive, and their influence
has already been felt in Tariff legisla-
ton at Washington. In addition there
are thoughtful men in the South not d.
rectly or personally interested or bene-
flied who subscribe to the doctrine of
Protection. With full realization of
this condition it has been realized that
should the Democratic party come into
power here would be found its chief
difficulty. In framing Tariff bill would
a Democratic House and Senate and
Democratic President make concessions
to Southern industries? The answer
has been given in advance. The pre-
sentation of the bill revising the cotton
schedule is that answer If the South
ern industries desiring Protection are to |
secure it they must look not to the |
Democratic party, which has for years
been represented most largely in Con-
gress by Southern men, but they must
join with the Protected industries of |
New England and look to the Republi- |
can party.
AS for US, we would for many reasons
welcome this result, and in fact it would |
be in our opinion one of the most excel |
lent results that might come from the
election of Democratic administration.
The outworn race issue could then be
eliminated from our politics and we
could have in the South beneficial dis