New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-06
LET THE PEOPLE RULE.


popular vote for President? BY all means
let the proposition be adopted-with its logical
seouence that Congress shall provide for ap-
pointment of all election officers throughout the
Union by authority Of the people, and not by
authority Of the States If it is to be Ma
tonal election the authority Of the Nation
must prescribe qualifications for suffrage every
whcre, modes of determining the right to vote,
selection of judges and inspectors Of election,
and direct returns Of all votes cast to United
States and not to State officials. "Centraliza-
ton Of government" that? Of course, but
the people responsible for that Capitalization
are the Democrats who propose direct vote
of the people for President.
Saws 1.-THE World" The people have given
Mr.. Cleveland go, 900 plurality. Not counting
the 10000 males over twenty-one who were
prevented from voting in Georgia alone nor
the "a OO0 in Alabama nor the 122, 900 IN
Mississippi, nor the ia 600 in Louisiana, nor
the 1926, 600 in South Carolina. Here are five
States in each of which citizens legally entitled
to vote under United States laws, in number
exceeding Mr. Cleveland's supposed plurality
in the whole country, were directly diSfran-
State officials. In these States only more than
81 200 males were of legal age to vote eight
years ago who did not vote last month. The
number is now very much larger. There are
very few foreign-bOrn persons in these States,
whose failure to obtain naturalization might
explain the discrepancy. The practical sup
preston of the colored vote is the one fact
which accounts for "a loss Of half million
votes or more in these five States. Yet with
such irresistible proof of wholesale robbery and
violation Of law the Democrats who perpetrate
the crime have the GOODNESS to talk of thelI
popular plurality.
Let the people rule-and let them not be
robbed OF disfranchised. If the Democrats
want direct vote of the people, let them pro
pose a Constitutional amendment placing all
elections for President and Congressman under
National authority exclusively, and empower
| ing Congress to make laws for the regulation
Of all such elections Then there would be al
end of Acknowledgement by pretended property
| qualifications or tax laws in some Southern
! States, by insuficiency of voting places II
others, by fraudulent conduct Of election officers
or by false returns in others still. The cleo
tons would then be conducted by Unitet
States officials, appointed by the United State:
courts or by some other branch Of the Nationa
| Government, and it would be made their duty
to report the fact wherever a free vote is pre-
vented by intimidation or violence. Upon th'
validity Of any vote or return proper Fedora
court would then have the exclusive power Il
pass If the Democrats think they could cleo
President or a majority Of congressman in
perfectly free and fair election thus conducted
let them invite the experiment.
Meanwhile, as they will do nothing Of tht
sort, Northern people may as well continue t.
treat the popular vote in certain Southern
States as absolutely no evidence whatever o.
the wishes of the legally qualified voters. They
will reckon up the votes cast in States wher
there is legal election free, fair and honestly
counted, and the plurality in such States Wi
be held by them the only voice of the people
at present obtanabe. When the Democrat
Of certain Southern States talk of their plu
ralitics, to Northern minds it is exactly as /
the burglar should refer to his stolen goods a
| my property.D As civilization slowly pushe
it's way southward, possibly the citizens o
States which need capital and immigration
may in time see fit to invite both by honest,
and obedience to law. "The New South,
wherever it is not sham aud trick Of rea
estate jobbers, will be quite likely to Shov
evidence of civilization soon. The rest of tn
South will continue to wave the rebel flag
to glorify Jeff Davis, and to get beaten as Ions
as it chooses.