The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-11-16
TO BRING SECTIONS TOGETHER
TAFT SAYS DEMOCRATIC POWER
WILL DO MUCH TOWARDS
THIS END.
PRESIDENT Says Wilson's Administra-
ton VIII Bring Good, by Putting
South Closer to Government.

Washington. Nov 12.-Greater op-
portunity to give the South feel
ing OF ownership" in the government
will be given the Woodrow Wilson ad-
ministration than was accorded the
present Republican regime, President
Taft told the United Daughters of the
Confederacy at the opening session
OF their annual convention here to-
night.
The president declared that "cir-
cumstances have rendered it more diff
hcult for Republican administration
than Cor a Democratic one to give our
Southern brothers and sisters the feel
ing Of close relationship and owner
snip in the government of the United
States"
Activity Of the Southerners in Of
fetal life consequent to Democratic
control of the government, he said
would give the South a feeling of
partnership in the conduct of the
country's affairs that would do much
toward eliminating sectional feeling.
"A great crowd of the Daughters
gathered at the opening welcome
session of the convention to hear the
president.
Mrs. Marion Butler, president of
the District of Columbia division of
the daughters, presided and delivered
the opening address OF the welcome.
Cuno H. Rudolph, president of the dis
trict commission, welcomed the
daughters on behalf of the city and
the president followed.
President Taft said the occasion
that brought the daughters together
was not the mourning at the bier Of
lost cause" they met to celebrate
the heroism, courage and sacrifice of
the men Of the South. He declared
North and South alike should rejoice
in the common heritage" left by the
war and that while the greater hor-
rors Of the war which visited the
South made it n.,re difficult for the
feeling Of hostility to die out there
than in the North, the sectional line
was at last entirely disappearing.
Until within recent decades" the
president said, prosperity has not
shed her boon Of comfort upon the
South with so generous hand as
upon the North. Hence those Of us in
the North who have been sometimes
impatient at a little flash now and
then Of the old sectional antagonism
are unreasonable In our failure to ap-
preciate these marked differences.
For years after the war the Re-
publican party which had carried the
nation through the war to its success
ful conclusion was in control Of the
administration of the government and
1t was impossible for the Southerner
to escape the feeling that he was
linked in his allegiance to an alien ma
tion and one with whose destiny he
found 1t difficult to identify himself
Time, however, cures much, and
after while there came a Demo-
cratic administration Of four years
and then another one Of four years.
Southerners were called to federal Of
fees; they came to have more and
more influence In the halls Of congress
and in the senate and the RESPONSE
bility OF the government brought with
it "a sense Of closer relationship.
II speak for my Republican prede-
cessors in office when i say that they
all labored to bring the sections more
closely together. l am sure can say
that SO far as in me has lain, l have
left nothing undone to reduce the sec
tional feeling and TO make the di-
visions OF our country geographical
only. But | am free to admit that
circumstances have rendered it more
difficult for a Republican administra-
ton than for Democratic admins
tration to give to our Southern broth
ers and sisters the feeling Of closer re-
lationship ana ownership in the gov
ernment OF the United States.
Thus In solving the mystery
OF that providenlial dispensation
which now brings on a Democla attic
administration To succeed this, we
must admit the good in n more con-
formed sense Of partnership in this
government which our brothers and