Southerners liked France?

I'm reading a book called Illusion and Reality in Franco-American Diplomacy by Henry Blumenthal, kind of for fun and kind of as a loose introduction into what I might be dealing with regarding my thesis. Anyway, I found this quote early on in the book very humorous:

Also, [the French's] savoir vivre, courteous manners, stimulating salons, and gastronomical distinction appealed to the finer instincts of people in all parts of the world. Those Americans who tried to hold on to traditional mores and values naturally objected to too much looseness in French morals and the restlessnes of their culture. But on the whole, Americans, particularly southerners, looked upon France as a cultural trailblazer. (7)

For obvious reasons, this quote made me laugh.