Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-05-09
A FREE AND FAIR VOTE.
The Republican Cry That the South Does
Not Poll Her Full Vote Is stopped by
the Recent Election in Louisiana.

The Republican Cry That the South Does
Not Poll Her Full Vote Is stopped by
the Recent Election i'm Louisiana.
One of the staple Republican cries is that
the South maintained its solidity against
the Republican party because there is nota
free and fair vote in that section. They as
sumo that the number of colored votes IN a
Southern State represents the number of
Republican votes, and that a relatively light
vote is indicative of a suppression of Re-
publican votes. Mr.. Vest, in the United
States Senate recently, showed, by COM
parison of the vote with the whole voting
population in a number specially selected
Southern and Northern States, taking in the
whole range from the lowest to the highest
percentage of vote to voting population, the
Southern States chosen outranked one by
one, the Northern States with which COM
parsons were instituted. AS Mr.. Vest ex-
planned, the comparison was not wholly fair,
but it was in keeping with the Republican
line of argument. Comparing the general
average of the vote in Northern and in
Southern States, and there is an excess in
favor Of the former of about six per cent
The fullness or want thereof of the vote
in any State, be it Northern or Southern, de-
pends upon the earnestness with which the
political contests in such State are waged.
Michigan was moro hotly contested in 1884
than in 1880, and the vote in comparison to
population was therefore relatively larger
in 1884. Ohio has voting population but
little in excess of that Of Illinois, yet the
popular vote of the former was 10000
larger than that of the latter in 1884, and
there has been as great or greater disparity
at every election in recent years. Accord
ing to the Republican theory, as applied to
the South, this would indicate terrible sup
preston of Democratic votes in Illinois. 1t
simply indicates, however, that Illinois has
not been in recent years canyassed from
end to end with the vigor and persistence
that have been shown in Ohio.
The recent election in Louisiana Is note
worthy, says the Detroit Free Press, as hav-
brought out by far the largest vote ever
polled in the State. If fullness of vote Is
representative of freedom and fairness, 1t
was exceptionally free and fair. The vote
is from 10000 to 10000 heavier than it was
in the Presidential election of 1854, and &C, 900
to $1,000 heavier than that cast at tho cleo
ton for Governor in April four years ago.
The Democratic vote in the State is nearly,
If not fully, twice that given for Cleveland,
and $4,000 to 10000 more than McEnery
polled for Governor in April, 1884 The Re
publican vote in number of parishes Is
heavier than it was in either April or No
vember, 1884, and the aggregate in the State
will be as large as at either election. The
greater fullness resulted in an increase of
the Democratic majority from 10000 for
Cleveland to $4,000 for Nichols.
One of the parishes most conspicuous for
the increaee in vote was that Of Orleans,
containing the city of New Orleans. The
vote of this parish for President in 1884
was: Cleveland, IA, 1886; Blaine, 6S2S. The
New York Tribune is authority for the
statement that the election in New Orleans
was absolutely free and fair. There was
an exciting contest for municipal officers,
which had the effect of bringing out a vote
nearly twice as great as that cast in Novem-
ber, 1884. There was the greatest vigilance
on both sides. What was the result of this
full, free and fair votel Warmoth received
4,5O0 more votes than were polled for Blaine,
but the total of Nichols was Il, 600 in excess
Of that for Cleveland, and his majority Of
nearly 1900 is larger by nearly 5000 than
the entire vote cast for Cleveland in the
parish. A full vote, it will thus be seen, is
even less conducive to Republican happi-
ness than light one