Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-04-27
The Lesson Of Louisinpn

lfToul lue New l oTh lTlDuue.l
The result of the Louisiana election means
that the southern Democrats propose to keep
the south solid for the reelection of Mr.
Cleveland by fair means or foul-principal
ly foul. 1t disposes peremptorily of any
hopes of a fair election in Louisiana, or in
any other Republican southern state where
they have complete control. Republican
hopes of winning any southern electoral
votes must be limited to Virginia and West
Virginia, where they have at least a fight
ing chance. But the enormous majority in
Louisiana, admitted to be partly fraudulent
even by Democratic papers, is a notice
served ON the country that there will be an
ample supply of tissue ballots in November
in every state where they can be used. and
faithful corps of election officers ready, if
necessary, to count in Mr.. Cleveland to any
extent, so that he may go on with his glo
rious work Of reform.
The size of both the Democratic vote and
majority in Louisiana is prima facie proof
of gross fraud. With three parishes est
mated, Nichols has II, 520 votes and GJ, lGd
majority. His majority now is >, SEQ votes
| larger than Cleveland's entire vote in 1884
which was only 81, $40. 1t was even few
votes larger than Hancock's total vote in
1SSO-65, O61 1t cannot be claimed that
this was the result of conversions from the
Republicans, because the Republican vote,
as stated, is even a hairs breadth larger
than Blaine's in 1884, and considerably
larger than Garfield's in 1880. These are
the figures: 1880, 3S,0l6: 1884, 46,341
1888, AZ, 800 The Democratic vote, which
fell off 2,521 votes in 1884 as compared
with 1880, has increased 30, 600 votes in
1888 over 1884 in total vote of 10000
and that in an election which, in spite of
the interest attaching to the local quarre
i'll New Orleans, is less important than the
presidential election. No unpreiudiced
person can suppose for a moment that thi,
is an honest increase. In fact, Democratic
newspapers of the franker sort openly adj
init fraud. The New Orleans despatche,
of the Sun say that "the majorities report
ed from some of the parishes in North Lou
isiana are stupendous and in some cases in
credible. From Rapides, where the contest
was regarded close one until a few day,
ago, a majority of 1000 is reported. The
total population is only "a ,000.n That is tC
say, in this parish tie Democratic majority
is equal to one third of the entire popula
ton. Tweed himself rarely ventured Oh
frauds as unbushing as these, and never OF
so large a scale. Conservative Demo
Gratis, it is said, admit that in some of the
parishes of North Louisiana the returns are
suspicious" They must be very "conserva
tive" Democrats indeed who will not admit
so much as that. In fact, in view of these
disclosures, Gov. Warmoth's claim that 40,
900 ballots against him were stuffed into
the boxes seems conservative
1t is almost incredible that the country
should remain Indifferent to facts like these
The present control by the Democratic
party of the executive branch of the gov
eminent and of the House of Representa-
tives is secured by such frauds They are
the foundations of its rule. A country il
in dangerous condition when the source,
of power are poisoned by fraud. 1t is the
ballot-box stufiing and false counting il
Louisiana and other states that enable tn,
Democratic party to make clean sweep Of
the government service, to precipitate tar
i'll agitation upon the country, to recon
struct the supreme court. The answer Of
bigoted Democrats and still more bigoteC
Independents to this is that it is a matter
with which the general government ha,
nothing to do. That is true, strictly speak
ing and yet it is n matter which has
great deal to do with the general govern
ment, seeing that the election Of Presi
dent and the control of one branch of Con
gress are obtained by just such means, am
that the Democrats hope to get the contro
of everything in the same way