New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-02
OUR REGISTRATION PROBLEM.

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OUR REGISTRATION PROBLEM
: When Northern politician finds him
: self at loss for subject to talk about
he generally falls back upon some Louis
, lana question as dernier resort. The
registration problem is the favorite theme,
partly we suppose because so little is
known OF it that no one in the neighbor-
hood is likely to detect any blunders that
may be made. All the congressional COM
mlttees that have been sent here have
taken tilt at it; the Northern cores
pondents have wasted reams Of paper
upon it, and some Of the heaviest leaders
OF the blanket sheets have been written
for tie apparent purpose of depriving the
reader Of all hope of finding out any
thing ineligible about it. The latest to
climb this precarious ladder and fall fiat
is the Chicago Tribune. The editor is
fine scholar. thorough-going Republican,
a political philosopher of respectable
ability, and as the phrase goes, .sas honest
as the day IS long" But as if to illustrate
| that he is not immaculate in wisdom, the
tates induced him to read the Phoenix city
, a short lecture upon our champion puzzle.
OF course he fails, as all do who do rot
start out with the truth for a clue. and
cling to it throughout this really simple
labyrinth. As the Tribune states its
dilemma in few words We reproduce q
portion:
The majority report of the Louisiana in
vestlgatlng committee brings out some in
teresting facts relative to the white and
coiored vote of that State. The late regis.
tration showed an excess Of the colcred
over the white voters, giving g07Sl colored
TO 1t ,S.3 white. That this registration was
incorrect is exhibited by the census reports. |
Inc census OF 1870, which is accepted as |
correct, shows that in that year there were /!
ID Louisiana Sb,O66 white males and 6gI3 |
colored males over twenty-one wears of are. |
and yet the registration of colored voters |
exceeded by 400O the total number of adult |
males returned by the census, while the
registration OF white voters was 10. 600 less.
The assumption that this can be correct is
altogether too violent for belief, and would
involve the most astonishing fecundity upon
the part OF the colored race, which if not
restrained would in a very short time over
run the State with colored voters. As there
has been no change in the proportion Of
the white and colOred population, how the
colored population could increase it's voters
ioo0, and the white population diminish its
voters 49, 0o, when each race was equal in
number, is q mathematical problem which
might puzzle Euclid himself to solve
Ii the Tribune really wants solution
of this problem, let it attend. We have
explained it two or three times before, but
it seems glittering falsehood is more
attractive than unvarnished fact
We also assume the census of 1870, to
be correct. At least it is near enough
SO for all practical purposes. 1t showed,
as the Tribune correctly states, that there
were in this State males Of the voting ace
as follows:
" 81 900
Total. 1888
When we come to look at the column Of
'.male citizens of the voting age" we find
there are only 159,001-a deficiency of :
u l4,37S, which is accounted for by the l
presence here of aliens. These aliens are !
Ill white, there being only about four :
hundred coiored belonging to that class !
Il the State. The census Of to-day would
therefore, show this result:
'olored male citizens in 1870 .............eGgl3
.stimated increase i'll four years........... 4GG0
r. Total. .5o,95 a
hite male citizens in 1870. 81 G66 e
stlmated increase in four years ..... 40Gg-9l G66
ess the aliens DIS aboye................. II 918 Il
Total 083 Y
Il viii be seen that these figures, which RI
re taken from the census report, page tt
10 Of Population and Social Statistics is
Ompare almost exactly with the registra- al
on about which so many good men are Sc
9rely puzzled Our friend Medill can -"
rely work the problem out satisfactorily
he begins at the right end. :.
THEY RESIST POLITICAL EQUALITY. es
There may be some doubt whether the ~
ates Of Colorado and New Mexico will IA