Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-08
The G. o. P. and the South.

OF the Republicans on the four States
Of the traditionally Democratic South
which went for President Hoover in the
recent election have been advanced, in
Guiding the appointment of Southerners
to high official Office and friendly treat
ment generally of the new industrial
South. The President did not name
Southerner to his cabinet, to the
chagrin of some Of the leaders in his
own party and to the delight of the
Democrats of the South, who already
are using this fact to impress the rank
and file of the Southern voters with the
idea that the South can expect no real
recognition from a Republican admin
istration. There are other important
jobs to be filled, however. The job fill
ing has indeed scarcely been started.
There are signs, however, that a row
is developing over the Southern patron
age. None of the four Southern States
which cast their electoral votes for Mr..
Hoover has any Republican Senators,
but North Carolina has two Republican
members of the House, Virginia has
three and. should the lone Republi-
can from Texas in the last Congress
win a contest against his Democratic
opponent who has been declared elect
ed that State will have a member in
the House. Florida has no Repub-
lican members of Congress. These Re-
publican members of the new Congress
will probably be consulted regarding
the disposition of Federal patronage
in their districts, and possibly may have
something to say in regard to state wide
offices. In the past, the Republican
national committee members from the
South have claimed the right to rec
ommend men for Office in their States.
There have been scandals in some of
'he Southern States, however, and the
new administration is likely to look
closely into the recommendations COM
ing to it.
According to report, Col. Horace A.
Mann, who was described widely dur
ing the campaign as the director of
the Republican campaign in the South,
would like to be arbiter in Southern
patronage matters and to take charge
of building up the Republican party
in the South generally. But also, &C
cording to report, COL Mann has run
up against the opposition of the ma
jority Of the members Of the Republican
national committee, who are said to
look askance upon plan which might
threaten their own party leadership ii
adopted in the South and in other
sections of the country.
The whole matter of Southern pat
ronage and the future of the party in
the South in the end is likely to be
handled by President Hoover, at least
so far as laying down the principles
to be followed. There are two schools
Of thought with regard to the future of
the Republican party in the South.
One holds that the South will lapse
quickly back into its old adherence to
the Democratic party, once it becomes
clear that former Gov. Alfred e. Smith
and all other wet Democrats are out
Of the picture for nomination for the
presidency in 1882. Another believes
that the ice once having been broken
by the. Republicans south of the Ma
son and Dixon line there is a real
chance to hold some of the ground
gained. This second group is anxious
to have the South dealt with sympa-
thetically in regard to official appoint
ments as well as in other ways.
The best chance for the Republicans
in the SoNeh appears to lie in Florida
and North Carolina. If they can man
age to hold their grip on those two
States in the next election, one way OF
another, or even manage to poll really
close vote in the coming elections, the,
may be able to keep the G. Q. p. alive
in those States 1t is a problem, how.
ever, that Is going to require careful
handling.