New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-04
LET FdCTS SPEAK.

The Northern States have cast. In the recent
election, 7O33,5 73 votes, and have 24S cleo
tors. But Al of those electors represent the
Senatorial vote two for each state. The re-
naming 2O4 are allotted to each State accord
ing to population. The South has, in like man
ncr. 80 electors for the 1G States. and the re-
mander, 121 in number, are allotted according
to population. The allotment, based upon the
census of four yeaIs ago, was at the timc
claimed by the Dem )crats to be an exceedingly
accurate and just one, and the Southern Demo
Gratis particularly justified 1T with great zeal,
showing that an allotment OF less than III
members and representative electors to That
section would give it less strength than Its
proportion of the actual population required.
Now the North ,rn States cast 7,O33,5|3 votes
for 20 1 representative electors, which is 34,4'o
for each district. But the Southern States
have cast 2,9GI.926 votes, which is only
~ SOB for each representative clcctor
/. If the Southern population had voted as fully
"a the Northern. there would have been cast
for l2l representative electors All S3S votes.
1t appeaIs therefore, that 1,2OG,9l2 persons
who shouk have voted failed to vote, or to get
their votes counted.
TIE TRIBUNE has no desire TO do in justice to
the Southern people. When the white Demo
crafts sought control Of their local governments,
promising that they would thus be able to do
full Justice to the colorel people while defend
ing property from unnecessary burdens, The
TRIBUNE expressed hope that their promise
would be kept. 1t has right, therefore, to see
whether the promise has borne fruit in justice
to the colored citizens. But it appears that
200 600 persons, who should have voted in
the Southern States, have for some reason failed
, to vote, or to get their votes counted.
| The coored people have not voluntarily alb
Dictated the right of suffrage. They show more
eagerness to vote, whenever they have chance,
than any other class of citizens But there
were LBS, 800 coored males over twenty-one
years OF age in the Southern States In 1851, an
| the number has undoubtedly Increased. IL
| these mon voted, only LOO, 900 out OF 2,9OO,-
900 white male adults at the South can have
/ voted That The TRIBUNE does not believe.
! The proportion of coorcd male adults to the
| total male adults, according to the census OF
| 1850, was larger in South Carolina than in any
other State, VIZ. % per cent. 1t happen that IN
South Carolina the proportion OF voters to each
representative is smaller than in any other state
| in the Union viz. only 1901.
The other four States in which the colored
male adults are - per cent or more OF the total
male adults are Mississippi, 81 per cent coored,
| only 1921 voters To each representative
| elector; louisiana 40 per cent colored, only
| 1S,207 voters to each representative elector /;
| Georgia, 40 per cent colored, only 1l,2Sl
voters to each representative elector; and
! Alabama Is per cent colored, only 1924
voters to each representative elcctor. In no
other States is the colofcd population so large
"a in these five in no other State in the Union
of any size, is the number of voters to each
representative ccctor 80 small as it is in either
| of these five.
Florida, Colorado and Oregon have all been
| growing 80 rapidly, and IRE so small. that tho
ratio of voters TO population In 1880 proves
but little. But Colorado Ia white, and has
| GO. 600 voters to representatives Oregon Ii
white. and has 81, $50 voters TO n representa-
tive while Florida 10 "a per cent colorcd. and
has 29,91O voters to . representative
Delaware at tho South. with 2o.soS votor'