The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-04-07
the coLoREp VOTE.
4 Cutting Rebul<e Of Malignant Partlsans
and Onioe- Sc ekers.

4 Cutting Rebuke Of Malignant Partisans
and Onioe- Seekers.
1t seems strange to End the New
York Times taking prominent stand
ia defense of the South against the
charge OF suppression of the colored
vote, and yet this able journal. at one
time foremost among those whose
abuse and denunciation of the election
methods of tho South was characters
lied by partisan hatred and sectional
malignity, contains in a recent issue
the most striking protest which has
vet appeared in any Northern paper
against the bloody shirt policy OF the
Republicans for 1888.
The Times is Republican paper.
but is generally very fair one. Its
criticisms are open and frank, and its
course is not controlled by the lash of
its party. 1t believed Mr.. Blaine to
be corrupt man and Mr. Cleveland
an honest one. and it supported The
latter for the Presidency. 1t did not
sever its party alliance. but has since
stood with the organization of which
it was for many years the chief organ.
In outlining its policy for the next
campaign, the Republican party has
clearly determined to make the al
legged suppression of the colored vote
in the South one of its leading issues.
On this the Times has column ed
itorial, which is an admirable produce
49,. - ,Ao,,lI ooo.r,ord ,fcalf IN
the fair-minded voters of all parties. 1t
says:
Those Republican politicians who still think
there is capital for Their party In keeping up
sectional agitation and firing the Northern
heart with Southern outrages are trying des-
perately to make an issue Of the alleged sup
precision of the Republican vote in Southern
States. The difficulty which confronts them
les in the fact that the Northern people want
no more sectional agitation. and are entirely
willing to leave the elections in Southern States
to the control of the people of those States.
Speaking of the outrages Of the Re-
publican carpet-baggers who overran
the South after the war, and of the
causes which prompted the necessity
of counteracting the evils of their das-
tardly regime, in which they ran
rough shod over the people by their
control over the negro vote. the Times
says:
Unprepared to exercise intelligently or con-
scientiously their newly acquired rights, the
negroes fell under the leadership OF unscrupu-
lous men and were arrayed against the people
who had the largest interest in the good order
and good government OF the reconstructed
States. The result was incapacity, extrava-
gance and fraud In public affairs, and . bur
lesque on popular government. The native
Southern people, who felt that they had the
right to control Affairs In their own States. saw
no salvation for their public or private inter
ests except in overcoming the power which
was thrust upon them.
The North soon admitted that Federal inter-
ference to sustain State Governments which
rested on the ignorant negro vote and were
| managed mainly by greedy and unscrupulous
| adventurers, could not be maintained. Public
| opinion withdl ew all support, and nearly a
dozen years ago the whole fabric went to
| pieces.
As to the so-called suppression Of
the colored vote in the South at this
time. the Times dismisses the question,
as being an appeal to sectional pas
sion, which can not deceive the intelli-
gent people of the North, saying:
Outrage, violence and election frauds dimin-
ish In proport on as the necessity for them
| ceased For the last two years little has been
heard Of them, but election returns show that
many votes are withheld from the ballot boz
for one reason or another. Colored voters may
have become Indifferent after finding that the
ills which they were taught to expect from
Democratic ascendency did not befall them
and easily induced not to VOTE More or less,
also they have begun to divide their votes be-
tween the parties. In not voting or in voting
for Democrats candidates, they are probably
influenced by no worse inducements than are
used in Northern States to sway the action Of
voters whose intelligence and honesty are moi
suficient to guide their political action.
| Such words, from such a source. can
not fail to have effect with tho people
of the North, who have already re-
buked the sectional animosity which a
few party bosses have sought to at.
tribute to the Republican party as 8
whole. Mr.. Blaine went to pieces OF
this rock, and if its present policy j!
pursued. the Republican party will re
ceive its ultimate defeat in clinging t.
it.-Atiant0 Constitution.
NOTES OF THE DAY.