New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-06
poUPBOYTSWS PERFfCT FORK.

The official figures of the election III South
Carolina tell q mournful story They show
that the systematic course pursued by the
Bourbons for the suppression of the majority
has been completely successful. The State Is
entirely in the control of about a third OF Its
voting population. This fact is clearly demon
strated by tie figures. The total wore this
year is 87,S77. IN 1870 it was 1882. OF
which Hayes had over $1,000 and Tilden over
10000. In 1850 it was 170,956, OF which
Garfield had over $4,000 and Hancock over
l12 900. In 1873 Wade Hampton ran for
Governor without an opposing candidate
and poled over 49, 900 votes. Between 1876
and 1882 then the total vote has fallen oil
over one-half, or nearly $4,000 votes. Be-
tween 1850 and 1882 it has fallen off over
So. 900 votes. But according to the census of
1880. there are 205, 789 voters in the State,
only s7,S77 of whom voted at the last cleo
ton. or rather succeeded in having their votes
counted The number of votes missing Is
117,912. OF the S7,S77 votes counted this
wear the Pourbons claim majority OF AZ, 439.
That makes the Bourbon vote GIBBS, anu
the Republican 17,719. 1t will be seen that
the Bourbon total is just about a third OF
the voting POI ulation given in the census.
N
the leading Bourbon organ of the State re-
marks "The falling off in the vote, we pre-
sumo. is accounted for by the system of regis
tering voters which is now In force" UndouDt-
edly. as the law was constructed to accomplish
that very purpose. The organ is troubled
because all those who registered did not vote.
II saws the registration was about 10000.
This is nearly 5000 less than the voting
strength given Ia the census, and yet the vote
cast is over 200 less than the registration.
The organ thinks some votes were lost by be-
ing put in the wrong boxes and others were
not received because OF alleged fraudulent
registration and other Bourbon devices. for
,eiectino negro votes. 1t adus: at is evident
- that q very considerable number OF voters
did not take the trouble to vote at all. This
dis serious and far from reassuring circum-
stance of the election" But il surely cannot
be called surprising circumstance. Why
should anybody take the trouble to vote in
South Carolina7 The Bourbon candidates
ara certain to be declared elected, no matter
WHETHER they have majority of the votes cast
mr. not. Indeed we can see no reason why, under
the present conditions an election should be
held at all. 1t pats the State to a totally I'M
necessary expense and entails great strain
unon the consciences of the Bourbon election
officials. The candidates might just as well be
amounted by a Bourbon convention. That
nrocess would be as lawful as the present So
called election. and would be considerably
more decent.
That the Republican voters have practically
no voice in affairs is easily shown. They have
clear and undisputed majority in the State of
10000. In 1876 they succeeded, in spite of
nersistent bulldozlng and wholesale ballOt-box
stnfiing, in having 91,7S6 votes counted. In
1880 in spite of still greater obstacles of the
same character. they had 5S,071 votes counted.
This year they drop TO about $4,000. Their
10000 majority has gone, and in its place Is
Democratic majority of $4,000, a majority TOO
on a total vote nearly 1000 smaller than The
Republican vote was six years ago. The new
registration law has borne an important part IN
this work of suppression, but the greater pant
is due to bulldozing and false counting. Rule
by the majority is dead in the State. mi
nority, comprising only third OF the voters
rules by cheating, and there is no such thing as
political morality known to 1t. Tho bourbon
organ may well regard this situation as So
rious. We know of nothing like 1t anywhere
outside the South, and we trust, Tor the