Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
.1HE SOLID SOUTH"

II is permissible for a politician 10
denounce the wall Street cro"a' !.
Is not treason to deplore the alleged
selfishness of the protectlonlst Ne"
England. a speaker can charge the
middle Atlantic states with being OPP
posed to interests fostered by the az
ricultural sections and live to tell ,ne
tale, but when the implication is maze
that "the solid south" is in the saddle
the democratic politicians arise II, !.
their anger and cry "sectlonailsih
and waving the bloody shirt and such
like. ~.
It is not in good taste for the dem.
ocrats to raise howl over charges OF
sectionalism. The "solid south Is the
hest answer to any denial the Demo
Gratis might make to the charge tnat
their party is a sectional party. For
aftv wears the south has been demo
cratic The vote of that section IS
conceded, election after election, to
the democratic candidate. With one
or two exceptions - just enousn ~
prove the rule-the republicans misn.
lust as we'll keep out OF even tne sta.e :
politics, so little chance nave they y,
winning down there. So. the soiiu
south has ever been against repuoilo-
Anism.
President Wilson very recently
claimed that the democratic party mas
lived because it is the peoples party.
In that statement. the president. IS not
giving the real dependable asset OF the
democratic party. The democratic par
~ has lived solely because 1t mad tne
solid south. The states down mere
alone have kept the party from drop
ping into oblivion. -, .,
II II ia not true that the solid south
will vote democratic, willy-nilly, tnen
whv IA it that the campaigners OF
neither party go there? II the south
vas at Ill debatable, would not the
republicans 90 there in the hope OF
winning electoral votes and would not
President Wilson 60 or. sead ems.
saries to retain electoral votes! Ie1
we know that years have taught the
wse,essness OF a republican campaign
or going into the solid south. ana the
damocrats recognize the south IS not
debatable ground, for they 90 not sehu
their campaigners there. 1t Is not nee.
assary. The section Is impregnapie a. =.
far as republicanism is concerned. ~
is the stronghold of the democratic
marty: It furnishes the party with mos'
~ 10 leaders and most Of Its issues
Tor half century the democratic
leaders have known that no matteI
who the democrats nominated lot
,as;dant he was sure of the vote o!
the solid south"
rha north on the other hand pre-
.onta the debatable ground. Only one
state in the nation-outsiae vi so IS
eleven in the solid SOUTH can po.n. :. ~
having voted with one party az al,
presidential elections. Lltue Nei ,s
has always sided with repuDilcahisLn
hut even that state has nao most caui
naisns and numerous times the ueno
Gratis expected to win. Inev always
had q chance. ,,,,d
south. but what has changed us anna
lion from time to time, ACCORDING "
the issues of the day. Furtnerniore
.here is nothing 10 show that section
aI;sn has ever prevailed among tne
nnrtbarn states. They have voted IN
nonord with their own ideas, but never
Mas there been anything to indica'e
solid north
THE solid south has perfect rlgh'
,o veto the way ii wants to- IL has
voted solid for fifty years and II VII
not he treason for it TO vote that wa,
for another fifty years. The democrats
have great organization and are act
ing within their rights. 49,.
But sectionalism does guide tnen
ord II is not treason SO to charge
therefore it is mighty bad taste fo'
Inc president to fly OF the handle
when the statement is made that tht
: nth is in the saddle or that section
1lsm holds sway.