Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-08

alabama. Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,
and South Carolina-two representatives in
Congress represent 5000 votes each; one
5000; two, II, 900 each; four IL 900 each !:
seven, 1900 each; six, 1000 each; three,
l5,0 600 each three, 16, 900 each; one. II 600 !;
:wo, 5000 each; two, 10000 each two. g.
600 each; tive, "a 900 each; and one, 80 600
votes. In these states the average vote in all
the districts ID 1924. In the Northern
States the average vote is 35, l49. Thus we
have this result: Ohio with total vote
Of 780,0ll. 10 represented By 81 Congressman,
while the States of Alabama, Georgia, South
Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi. Arkansas,
and Florida, with total vote OF but 769, 536,
are represented by As Congressman. That is,
it takes more votes to elect Fl Congressman
in Ohio than it does to elect 45 Congressman
in the States named. And this disparity
might be prolonged Indefinitely. In the five
Southern States which have named, at the
time of the election in 1884, there were $685.
392 white votes. The total vote cast a.
have shown, was 1863 $50, thus showing that
probably bur As. IA colured men voted. In
these five States there were 1,242.424 voters.
Ooly $50, 1874 voted, while the non voting
voters were 656, 290. But why pursue this
investigation. The political power of the
South TO- day is welded by . minority of the
voting population These figures show that
the effect Of the shotgun policy has been to
put an end to the voting tendencies of large
per cent Of the population of these Southern
districts; for one thing is certain either these
voters in large numbers have staid at home
and refused to vote, or else the system of
apportionment is unjust and unfair. 1t can
not be commended for moment that under
our system of representation, it is fair for
mi m ar nf CunOraaa far and ehnm
but 7 900 votes were cast, 10 have the same
power upon the floor of Congress thai the
representative does, for whom and against
whom AZ, 900 votes were cast But, as have
said, intimidation by threats of physical dam
ger has measurably passed away. 1t has been
superseded by a more ingenious system
There are inventions in political frauds,
and discoveries in systems of ouirages on the
ballot box. The shotgun policy of Mssis
sippi has dritted away OFF, and lies among the
wrecks of t.of machinery along with the
old fail and scythe and sickle with which our
forefathers reaped and threshed their grain;
the wooden moid-board pillow, and the Dill
worth spelling book, the old stage coach and
all the appliances which modern invention
has superseded; and instead of the crack OF
the shotgun, the riding of masked men, tile
groans of tue dying victims, there appears
the country to cheat the voter out of his own
vote BY substituting ballots never cast tor
ballots honestly cast. There are the steam
threshers, the telephone, the steam cars of
modern front. And when we come to this
part of the subject, truth and justice compel
US to say that the South does not stand alone
in the manipulation of these appliances. Ne
greater crimes we're ever committed against
the ballot-box in the United States by traudu-
ballots, than those perpetrated in the State of
Ohio during the last three years. Popular
elections in certain localities became farce.
Ballot-boxes were opened and filed with new
unvoted ballots. Thousands of names were
added to the poll books. The safe in the of
fee of the clerk of the court in one of the
counties was opened, the poll books and tally
sheets removed and hundreds of names were
added, and systematic line of fraud swept
over the state and well nigh turned aside the
popular verdict in new and different direc-
ton.
We hope all readers of the Journal will
peruse and ponder the foregoing facts,
and honestly digest them and act accord
ingly. Every election which occurs I'M
der such villainous abuse of the ballot,
is a menace to the peace of the country.
This great FRAUD must be prevented or our
elections will be farce and mockery, a
delusion and snare.