The Washington herald., 1920-05-10
GO. ?. GAIN
seen IN DIXIE
BY W. HTAFT
Former President Predicts
Republican. Success in 4
Democratic States.
SOLID SOUTH WEAKENs
H.Victory Does Not Come
!. This Year, 1t Will Soon,
He Declares. -.
SOLID SOUTH WEAKENS
BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT


tCopySight. 1890. by Public Ledger Coz
For several Presidential elections
past, Republican optimists have
hoped that the solid South might be
broken and that some of the States,
which have formed a solid, Demo-
cratic phalanx since 1876, might be
brought into the Republican ranks.
These optimists have found
among leading men of the South a
full appreciation of the disadvan-
tages which the South labors under
by reason of the facts that its State
governments are always elected by
one party, and that Democratic ma
tional leaders can always. count
upon its solid Congressional and
electoral vote. The tendency of a
single political party in a State to
develop a State-house ring or dynas-
ty that continues the gubernatorial
succession from one member to an
ether and breeds corruption, ineffi-
cheney. extravaganza and injustice
is there apparent.
The consciousness of this disad-
vantage and thc'dissatisfaction with
the present administration have put
many Intelligent Southern Demo
Gratis into an attitude CT protest and
given them an earnest desire for a
change.
Fears Are Quieted.
OF course, that which has made
the South solid is the recollection
Of reconstruction days and the fear
OF the negro vote; but during the
three Republican administrations
preceding the present one no effort
was made by Republican Congresses
to change the actual situation in
the South with respect to the negro
vote.
These protestants are. therefore,
inclined to regard the question of
suffrage as settled, They are not
frightened by the ghost of negro
domination. which is held up to them
at each election as a reason why
they should support unsatisfactory
Democratic candidates.
1t is impossible to tell how far
this change of sentiment reaches.
One finds it among Southern busi-
ness and professional men. 1t is
probably not so general among the
farmers.
The strongest recruits for a Sec
'ond party liz the South are likely
to be the veterans of this last war.
They much dislike the hard and fast
restrictions of the present situation.
They have in their war experiences
come in contact with the young
men from the North. Their horizon
has widened, their independence and
desire for a change stimulated.
Kentucky for Morrow.
Kentucky, which gave Governor
Morrow a majority of 10000 in No
vember last, is a border State; but
a protest among, Kentucky Demo
Gratis argues similar state of mind
among Southern Democrats. Ken
lucky is counted by, Kentucky Re-
publicans as safe for their party in
the next election.
The result of the Presidential
primary in Georgia, in which Tom
Watson was at the head of the poll,
with Senator Hoke Smith and At
torney General Palmer, consider
ably behind him in the race, re-
veals a protest against the adminis-
tration. bat not one of so radical
a character as to indicate. support
of the Republican candidate at the
next election.
The stir in Texas politics, which
ex-senator Bailey's campaign for
governor has made. derives much
Importance from the presence in
Texas of many protestants of the
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