Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-14
Judge Foraker's Attack on Chat
ham County.


ING NEws published statement
showing that his assertions were
not true. A dispatch, also, was sent to
the Associated Press containing the sub
stance OF the MORNING NEWS statement.
Although the dispatch was sent in time
TO be published with Judge Foraker's
speech the Republican papers, while
/ they published the SPEECH, did not
/ publish it. We took occasion to in
quire why they did not publish it. and
suggested that perhaps they did not
want the truth. On last Friday the Phil
adelphia Press, the leading Republican
paper Of Pennsylvania, gave the follow
ing reason tor not printing il.
Judge Foraker, In his speech at Ports
mouth, o., Sept. !. cited Chatham county,
Ga, as an illustration of the manner in
which the colored vote in the South was
suppressed. He stated that there were
! 1900 voters in that county, 1000 Of whom
were cOlored and 5000 white, and that i'm
! the whole county there was but one vot-
! ing place, that being in the city Of SaVan-
nah; and, by this want Of facilities, as
/ the great majority of the cOlored people
/ live in the country, and are compelled
| TO 20 20 miles or more to vote, they were
| practically DISTINGUISHED.
When Judge FoTaker's speech reached
Savannah. Nr j. II. Estill editor of the
/ Democratic NEWS, Of that city. and agent
OF the Associated Press, telegraphed over
/ the country a denial OF MIR. Foraker's
statements, claiming that there were but
| G,000 qualified voters in the county.
1900 of whom were whites and 1000 col
Ored that the present plan Of voting was
arranged by a Republican official: that
the cOlored voters fail to qualify, and that
no more polling places are necessary.
And now Mr.. Estill wants to know why
the Republican papers don't priRt his dis
patch.
The answer is very plain because, it is
disingenuoue, and Mr.. kstlll knows II to
be so. In 1867, eighteen years ago, the
registered vote of Chatham county was
| 1,243, OF which 2,89S was white and 4s45
was cOlOred. The census Of 1880 gave the
county population of 45023, II, 4W Of
which was white and 2l.Sl5 colOred.
BY the same enumeration there were H.
26l males over q years of age in the
county, which would give 4.373 whites
and 6,S1s colored votes. A very mOder-
crate increase in the past five years
would bring the total up 10 T. O00. the
cOlored vote to 1000 and the white vote to
nearly 5000, the figures Judge Foraker
gave. That dispOses or one point.
MIR. Estlll says that the polling places
outside OF the city of savannah were
abolished by a Republican, and that the
colored voters fail to register. In 1868
the Republicans elected Henry S. Wet
more Ordinary, an officer known as Pro-
bate Judge in many States. BY some
means the Democrats won him over to
their purposes and persuaded him to
abolish all voting precincts in the county
outside Of Savannah. The Republicans
refused to recognize the act as legal, and,
in 1872, used three of the old polling
places for voting, and the vote cast there
was counted by Congress, ana the Con
gresham they elected was seated Ever
since the Republicans have been petition
ing in vain for the restoration of the poll
ing places.
Why do the colored people not register
and voter Because the great majority Of
them live outside the city, and in order to
exercise the franchise they must 20 10
Savannah 10 make a return OF their taxes
to pay their taxes, to register every other
year, and finally to vote. AS this re-
quires from two to four journeys a year,
as Savannah il on one edge OF the
county and distant twenty miles from
many parts, as the means OF cOmmunica-
ton are poor, many broad streams to be
crossed, and most Of the voters without
cOnVeyances OF their own, the reasons
why they neglect this duty are obvious
IL would be easier for the entire voting
population OF Philadelphia TO 20 to Har-
risburg TO cast their votes thar Il is for
the poor c0lOred voters Of Chatham c0un-
ty, Ga, to make two or three journeys
year to Savannah in order to vote.
Mr.. Estill viii see now why the Rapub-
lican papers did not print his dispatch. lt
was not, as the savannah NEWS says. be-
cause ''they don't want the truth" but
because his statement was inisleading
When he tossed his line into the waters
OF the Northern press he caught lust two
gudgeons, the Boston Herald and the
Springfield Republican, both Of which are
ready to swallow the biggest toad the
bulldoZers can bait their hooks with. II. in
stead OF sending out disingenuous state
ments as TO the vote in the South, The
savannah NEWS VIII give a truthful ac-
count OF how the registered colored vote
In Chatham county has been reduced
I from 4, $40 la 1861, the year before the poll
ing places were abolished, TO ,76I in 1884,
Notwithstanding the seventeen years of
increase, he will make dispatch which
every Republican paper in the country
will publish gladly.
1t is pretty safe to assume that the
basis for the above article was furnished
from Savannah, and it may be by some
one who is occupying an Office which
ought to be in the possession of good
Democrat. However, we haven't the
least objection to Republicans battling
for their party in Savannah or elsewhere.
so long as they are disposed 10 be fair
and just We object, however, TO having
Chatham county, or any other part of the
South, slandered.
We print the Press entire article that
our readers may see how quickly the
Republicans change their Issue when
they find themselves unable 70 support
their assertions, relative 20 Southern
political matters, with facts.
What was the statement that Judge
Foraker made? 10 was that there were
1900 voters In Chatham county. 5000
whites aud 1000 blacks; that there was
but one polling place in tho county, and
that the whites crowded around this one
place on election days and kept the blacks
from voting. The impression that he
meant 10 create was that only one polling
place was provided, In order that the
whites might crowd the blacks from the
polls, and that II there had been sufficient
polling facilities the Republicans would
have carried the county At the last cleo
ton by several thousand majority.
Our effort WAS 10 correct the impression