Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-13
October Elections in Ohio.

That mart Of the message OF Gov.
UoadIv. Of Ohio. which refers to the
election in that state last October is being
very generally commented on. The Gov
ernor mentions some of the abuses Of
that election and discusses them in a
wav calculated to arrest the attention Of
thoughtful men!
The public does not know the whole
truth about that election, but it is proba-
BILE that it will know it before Mr..
SpTinger's committee completes Its inves-
LEGATION of the charges against Marshal
Wright. Enough has been discovered,
however. TO show that it was the purpose
Of the Republican leaders TO carry Ohio
in October even if il became necessary 10
defeat the will of the people.
1t is, Of course, impossible to say
whether the will of the people was de-
feate1 or not, because there is no way Of
determining the influence which the
armed deputy marshals had on the cleo
ton. There is no doubt that these mar
shals, with their pistols and clubs, kept
many Democrats from voting. They did
not terrOrize Republican voters because
it was understood that it was their bust
ness to see that all Republicans voted.
1t will be generally admitted, probably,
that free and fair election cannot be had
when the polls are surrounded by armed
rufhans, particularly when the rufiaus
belong to one political party and are paid
to intimidate voters Of other parties.
1t is almost as essential, as Governor
" oil ch Il
be believed to be fair as that it should be
fair. Where there is doubt there is dis
satisfaction. II it is believed that one
party is gaining an advantage by illegal
or Legitimate means the other party is
almost certain to resort to similar means.
Under such circumstances how long
would it take to put an end to our system
Of gOvernmentY The permanency of free
institutions depends upon absolutely fair
elections. 1t is also necessary that there
should be absolute confidence In the fair
ness of elections.
Immediately after the October election
in Ohio there was a widespread belief
that it was not fair. Who can say what
influence this belieFhad upon the election
in Novemberg AS great as were the
abuses in Ohio last October may they not
be greater at the next October election in
that State, or at the October election that
Immediately precedes the next Presiden-
tial electi0ng II they are not checked
who can say they VIII not spread to other
States. If they are not already there, and
ultimately be productive of the most dis
astrOus results to our institutions?
Gov. HOadly calls on the Legislature TO
devise a scheme that will insure honest
elections in the State, and which will
avoid any excuse tor Federal interven-
ton.
1t will be difficult to devise such
scheme unless October elections are a5Ol-
ished. Why not abolish October cleo
tons? They serve no good purpose. They
are made use of by politicians to influence
the elections in the following month. At
the last October election both parties
made extraordinary eXertiOns to carry
the State. The Republicans did not hest
tate to employ iIlegitimate means to Sc
cure success, because they believed that
if they carried ONO they would win the
Presidency. If they had lost that State
they would have at once practically given
up the contest. II the people Of Ohio
want to get rid Of their election abuses
they will have no more October elections.