The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-12-10
MdIo Coz Total vote
Adults Ored. Vote. pr Rep.
Total. -. 2,i73,es5 5s3,397 sOl0,55l ss,7a3

II is possible that the statements here
given Of the total vote for Virginia, West
Virginia, Tennessee and Texas may
vary little from the official returns
when published, but the variation, it is
believed, will not be important. The
vote, it will be seen, could not have
been full in all these States, particular
ly in Tennessee and Arkansas. But it
Is utterly impossible to believe chat
twice as large proportion of the quail
flied voters voluntarily abstained from
voting in South Carolina as in North
Carolina, or in Georgia as in Texas.
In short, no candid and reasoning per-
son can doubt that great part of the
qualified persons in the five States first
named were either by fear or force pre-
vented from voting, or failed to get their
votes counted. In the Northern States
the number of votes cast for each Rep
resentative is even larger than in
the Southern States of the second
class. With fifteen States fully re-
ported, the aggregate vote in these is
6,Si4,772. They elect 1856 Represent
tives, and the average vote to each Rep
resentative is 1926. Only one of these
fifteen States falls below ratio of
about $4,000 for each Representative,
and in that instance the return of votes
is unofficial and apparently incomplete.
In Rhode Island, however, from which
we have not seen full returns, the ratio
islower because Of a property qualifica-
tion for voting, and that State is the
one exception at the North.
II is TO be remembered that there has
been an increase OF population since the
census of 1880. The number of male
adults is now larger than 1t was when
the census was taken. But in the
Northern States there are large num-
bers of unnaturalized immigrants, at
the South scarcely any. In the five
Southern States first named the whole
number of foreign-born male adults in
1880 was 4S,0l3. Hence the ratio of
voters TO adult males ought TO be larger
at the South than at the North; the fact
that Il Is much smaller is a clear indica.
ton of the method by which a Solid
South has been secured.
Nor is 1t to be overlooked that the in
crease of population would naturally
result in an increase Of the vote. Al
the North IL does; the total vote in 1886
was 6,3S4.897; this year it has been
about 6.SS8, ,000 In the nine Southern
States where tho election was compare.
lively free the vote increases; the total
vote in 1880 was 1,8l6,204, and thi,
year II appears TO be 2,0l6,55l. But in
the five Southern States first named the
vote Is smaller than ii was in 1880; il
was then 700,097, and this year it has
fallen to G18,Sl6. The number of vot.
ers for each Representative was 81, ,29s
at the North in 1880, and has increased
by the growth Of population to 34,209
in 1884. In the nine Southern States
where voting is comparatively free the
ratio was 2j,720 in 1880, and has in
creased this year to 28,793. But in the
five Southern States first named II WA
Is, 424 in 1880, and, in spite Of the in
crease Of population during four years
has dropped TO 1924 in 1884.
Finally, it Is not matter Of infer
ence. but can be absolutely demon
strated, that the full vote Of the five
States was not polled. In 1876 the
Democrats claimed that there were
actually cast in these five States $780,
829 votes, and the Republicans allowed
and counted nearly as many. But 2I0,
900 OF that vote has disappeared, not
withstanding the increase Of popula
ton. The votes claimed by Democrat,
TO have been cast in 1876 contrast will
the later votes as follows: