The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-15
MORE DEMOCRATIC TBIgVgRY.


From present indications we are to have
another attempt at political grand larceny by
the Democratic party. They seem to be pre-
pairing to try to stealth House of Represent
atives. That is undoubtedly their present
intention. Whether they carry it out or not
will depend on whether they think they can
succeed. AS rule. a thief does not try to
steal unless he thinks he can get away with
the plumber He does not try for amuse-
ment, nor merely to keep his hand in.
Whether he succeed or not, he expects to. If
the Democrats discover or conclude that they
cannot steal the House, they probably will
not attempt it. If they do, it will be the
duty of the Republicans to prevent them.
The object of the scheme, of course, is to
deprive the Republicans of an important part
of the fruits of their recent victory, which
included the capture OF the House as we'll as
the presidency. Perhaps. if the control of
the House involved nothing more than the
shaping Of ordinary legislation, the Democrats
would not deem it worth while to resort to
revolutionary methods to retain it. But, in
this case, Republican control of the House
involves the admission of three or four
new Republican States, and an entire
readjustment of political power between
the North and South. 1t is to
prevent this that the Democratic scheme is
forming. It embraces the refusal of certf-
Gates of election to nineteen Republican mem
bers-elect, viz: two in Arkansas, three in Ala
bama, one in Louisiana, two in Texas. two in
Florida, three in South Carolina. two in North
Carolina, three in Virginia and one in Mary
land. This includes nearly every Republican
member elected south of Mason and Dixon's
line. The wide scope of the scheme shows its
fraudulent character. There might be good
reason for refusing or delaying to issue certifi-
Gates to one or more of the members named,
but to place them all under common ban
shows preconcerted fraud. In most Of these
districts the Associated Press dispatches an
nounced the election of the Republican can
didate day or two after the election, and
there has been no question about it since.
There would not have been any, except for
this contemplated theft. In addition to the
nineteen districts it is claimed by the Demo
Gratis that six other districts which elected
Republicans are doubtful" viz: one
in each of the States of California, Con-
necticut, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina,
and Virginia. Out of these twenty-five dis
tricts the Democrats hope to capture enough
to give them control of the House.
1t is unnecessary to say that this scheme IS
an attempt to overthrow popular election by
force and fraud. 1t is bold scheme essen
TALLY revolutionary and essentially Democrat
ic. But We do not think it will succeed,
Like many other Democratic good schemes"
it presupposes that the Republicans either do
not know their rights or will not maintain
them; that they are idiots or towards. They
are neither; and when the time comes for the
consummation of the outrage the Republicans
will be there to prevent it. We do not want
to see the Republicans attempt any crooked
ness or unfairness on their own part, but
they must stand firmly for what is right, and
not allow themselves to be bullied out of
what is theirs by an honest verdict of the
manila