The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1876-11-25
Is There Danger Z
(Chicago Inter- ocean,

No one who carefully surveys the political
situation in the South can fail to see that
there is deep undercurrent Of positive
dangerous meaning in the many and various
threats which have been made. Such scenes
IS are now being enacted In Florida, South
Carolina, and Louisiana, could not take
place in any Northern State. Imagine the
Republicans in five counties of Illinois
humbled into terrified submission to whole.
sale frauds on election dav, and generally
intimidated from approaching the polls;
Imagine the Democracy Of these and Of the
other counties united In q fierce, imperious
demand that the fraudulent returns shall be
counted As q part Of the fair and legitimate
vote. even though they should decide both
the State and the Presidential contest; and
then imagine the presence of national
troops and Of the second highest officer of
the army needful to repress revolutionary
violence and to protect the local authori-
ties in the performance of their legally i'm
perative duties. Who can imagine such
condition of affairs as applicable to Illinois
without feeling convinced that an
emergency had arisen which foreboded
the most serious consequences and justified
the most apprehensive fearsf How much
more would there be such q conclusion il
Illinois had been for four years in armed re-
bellion against national authority because of
refusal to submit to the election Of Abraham
Lincoln; if the Democracy therein had new
er since been quiet and peaeeable. nor sub
ordinate to State authority; II Chicago had
been the center Of many murderous riots,
altogether political In character; il Repub.
lican Senators, Representatives, Sheriffs,
Constables, Judges and other local officers
had, from time to time, been assassinated
or driven away in various counties; IL ter.
rorism, prescription. ostracism, intimida-
ton and violence had been progressive and
intensifying tendencies for . decade; and il
there seemed no power anywhere to repress
these lawless manifestations. Yet such 10
the status of Louisiana, and also of South
Carolina and Florida, only in less degree.
significance to the threats that are made,
and raise them above the level of intemper.
ate and infismmatory, yet sphemeral, out.
bursts Of passionate disappointment.
1t is never needful to mass troops to keep
down merely transitory or sporadic ebulli- |
tons Of high-wrought feelings. These al |
ways quickly subside and disappear. Those |
nent character. The necessary presence Of |
considerable numbers of soldiers in those |
States to preserve the peace there sufficient.
" attssts that. Their presence is equiva. |
lent to an official declaration that their |
would inaugurate . reign of |
turbulance and violence. Unfortunately, |
the military arm Is essential to secure q |
will Of the people.
This gravity Of the situation is not at all |
1ue to the Republicans, who throughout /
have manifested = law-abiding spirit. Only
Democrats are responsible. They alone
nave . stirred up strife; they alone
.lOne have punctuated the future with
hreats. Let us be thankful, therefore,
hat the country has made its narrow es.
ape from falling under the control of .
'srty so insanely voracious Of authority, so
turbulent and subordinate under defeat, so
unworthy to rule. Whatever
cal dangers may Turk behind the wordy
hreats Of its leaders will be lessened by the
act that Grant 10 President, and that Hayes,
ot Tilden, is to be. All good citizens must
eel that. And, considering the course of
vents since the It'll Of November, we are
atisned that the election would 60 over.
against the Democratic candi.
stes, at least in every Northern State, were
to be held over again tomorrow. It
aust be evident by this time that the coun.
~ can be safe and 1t repose only in the
ands Of the Republican party.