The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-01-07

htVenueu WIN ulhofubTh anu lolloWeu Dy
elimination and reeiimination, by charges
OF fraud and judicial sorutinies, and by a
belief that our legal devices aro not sum
Client 10 hinder or punish intimidation and
fraud at tho polls and dishonest count A
general belief that elections are fraudulent
leads TO discomfort, 10 retaliation, by ooun-
terfraud, or violence, and Ia almost
as productive OF OWL az the actual existence
Of wrong We must have honest elections,
and tho people Of Ohio must be satisfied that
they are honest, recommend q careful re-
vision Of tho election laws, that more aud
botter safeguards may DO provided, that
tho duties OF election and caDyaasing officers
may be moro strictly defined that frauds
may DO more surely and severely punished,
and tho illegitimate use Of money Ia cleo
tionH-that great aud growing eyil--may bo
prevented,
ut 10 unfortunate that tho registration
law passed by the lRat general assembly for
Cincinnati and Cleveland was not 30 pre-
pared ~ TO avoid tho objections BY reason
OF which II has been found unconstitutional
After nearly forty years residence In
Cincinnati and no little acquaintance
with the methods there prevailing In
both political parties, l have no hesita'
tion In saying that an etrec I've rogistra.
tion law Is essential 10 froo and honest
suffrage In that city Fortunately tho vioo
OF the law OF last winter has been pointsd
out by the supreme court, and may easily bo
corrected. An that Is needed Is proyiSlon
by which those who may be disabled by alb.
sence or sickness or other unavoidable cause,
from registering on tho appointed days,
may do 30 In time 10 vote. This seems easy
OF accomplishment without the danger OF
opening tho door 10 wide as 10 let In fraud
"But registration Ia not automatic, aud no
scheme can bo devised which will super
cedo the necessity OF popular watchful'
ness In Philadelphia, tho registry became
the agency OF tho worst frauds ever prac-
tIced on tho ballot box In tho United
States Eternal vigilance Is the price
and only sure protector Of liberty and law.
But In Philadelphia tic people found
means TO overcome fraud, aud In the hands
OF an aroused public sentiment the very
registry systoln which has boon abused,
was made tho effective means Of correct
Ing tho evils TO which tho dishonesty OF bad
aud tho apathy OF good men had exposed
tho state. Surely system which can bo
held 30 absolutely fair, 80 free from chal'
lenge or public discomfort az were those In
tho cities Of New York, Brooklyn aun Phlla.
delphin, 40 the end Of G. exciting preslden'
tial campaign Of 1884, may safely bo said 10
DO success that is, as far as any legal
methods may DO called successful
Without general popular virtue, and
a..Na L.. atN.,tta. ~ RnlliO
duty, any systom will fail Believing tho
people OF tho citlos OF Ohio 10 DO sufficiently
yirtuous and live 10 their interests TO be
fully capable OF wise solf-goyemment whom
onco tho methods Of II exercise have boon
provided by lRw, recommend their condi.
ton 10 your careful attention In tho hope
thot with your aid aud the activity OF their
good cltaons we shall have seen not only tho
last fraudulent election In Ohio, but the last
believed 10 be such by any considerable
number Of our people.
''To tho end that this may come to pass,
recommend the adoption Of registration
law, no framld M 10 obviatO tho objections
OF tho supreme court, applicable 10 Cncin-
datl and Cleveland, and which may servo as
amodol or precedent for adoption by other
cities
~ respectfully recommend such changes
In tho constitution and laws ns Will obvlato
tho necessity Of annual state and county
elections, Tho tax OF time, strength and
money involved In these frequent appeals TO
tho source Of power Is enormous, While
frequency Of election is as absolutely csson'
tial 10 Republican government thore Is
such thing as making tho appeal too
ofton. Hence the phrase In common
uS, IAN or year" indicating sea.
son Of political lethorgy, caused by an
election following too soon oftor tho OK
hauStlon of an exciting contest II all
our state and county elections were held
In tho ycars and at tho timo Of congress.
ional elections, thero would much loss
apathy than there Is now manifested by
large numbers Of voters who abstain from
voting In "of yearsn This Is no moro OK
pertinent, recommended only by prioai
reasoning. II has been successfully tried
IN Indiana for tho term OF a generation, and
no ono will assert that Ohio Ia superior 10
Indiana In tho koennoss Bipartisan thought
and debate or the constant activity Of po.
litical energy Biennial elections have not
weakened Republican vitality, or dlmln-
ished the vigor OF civic ardor In Indiana,
while they have saved treasure timo and Ia.
Dor 10 her people,
equal civil rights arc enjoyed by all our
citizens except those possessing visible ad-
mixture Of African blood recommend
tho repoal Of all laws discriminating between
citlgons on account OF color These arc both
wrong and oppressive. Tho most oppressive
are thos which permit tho condemnation OF
colorcd children, without accusation or
trial, TO the punishment Of compulsory nom
association Ia tho common schools with
wbito children, 10 education often
inferior, und In places incon-
veniontly remote from tho residences
OF their paronta This Is q badge Of sorvi-
tudc having tho offoct 10 degrade, and
koonly felt by many most worthy colorod
people, as In effect stamping thom as un-
worthy OF equal privileges am aware
that IN many parts Of tho state much proju-
dice exists against mixed sohools but, curi-
ously enough, this feeling Is manifested, not
whore the colored children VII upon tho samo
benches with tho whito children, but whore
they do not, not whore tho experiment Of
mixed schools has boon, but whore IL has not
boon triol
''rho strike In tho Hooking valley, which
was tho cause Of suffering, disqulet and
anxiety, ceased In tho spring by the surron.
dor of tho mon 10 tho terms prescribed by
thoir employers. A recent disagreement as
10 tho ratio OF wages has boon avortod FOR
the present at least by resort TO arbitra-
tion. II IL much 10 DO desired that this may
prove 30 just aud successful as TO be tho
prooodont for adjustment Of Ike differences
hereafter.
Tho message pays especial attention to the
pepitontiory Tho present systom of om'
ploying prisoners with work OH state ac-
count IL endorsed as insuring tho bost treat
mont for the prisoner. II avoids less COM
petition with free labor. II is admitted that
the addition of contract labor has reduced
receipts below self-support, but prospects
for the future are moro promising. This loss
tll,,tsa ha hanna hxy ta