The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-29
THE nEspIsEn BALLOT.

THE pESPISED BALLOT.
The Springfield Republican, copying
statement from the Journal that the Repub-
licans of Indiana s.feel and know that the
paramount issue is that of an equal ballot and
equal repre- sentation under the laws says it
"begins to scent sectionalsrn." And to our
remark that 'the coming campaign win be
grievously Disappointing to men who would
like to have it colorless," our Massachusetts,
contemporary says: From this pregnant
statement we gather that the crimson under
garment will wave once more. If the Indiana
revival works out in this way, the party
leaders will find the independent voter sitting
in the seat of the scornful" The fippant and
sneering tone of these comments is character
istic of the mugwump press. which is chiefly
employed nowadays in decrying the principles
it formerly advocated, and trying to tear down
what it helped to build up In former years
the Journal and the Republican stood side by
side in advocacy and support of the principles
of the Republican party. The Journal is still
doing business at the old stand, fighting under
the same flag and for the same principles.
The Republican is not, and its name nisfts it
now as much as it once gave added emphasis
to its services in the cause of Republication.
Perhaps it has become convinced that
the principles for which Charles Sumner lived
and died, which Governor John A. Andrew
upon thousands of the bravest and best of
Massachusetts, cons freely laid down their
lives-the principle of universal liberty and
the equal rights of all men under the LAWS
triumphant or obsolete. In either case its
present attitude is consistent If the Journal
thought those ideas were either COM
pletely victorious or out of the realm of
politics it would probably treat them as the
Republican does, as worthy only to be sneered
at. But we do not think so. These ideas
neither obsolete nor completely estab-
lished, and the Journal is, therefore, of the
opinion that the Republican party still has
work before it. The Republican must know
that in several Southern States there has not
been q fair election for many years past. 1t
must know that thousands upon thousands of
Republicans are regularly and Systematically
prevented from voting, their ballots reg
ularly and systematically suppressed. 1t must
know the South is kept solid by in
timidation and fraud, and that with fair
election and honest count Mr.. Cleveland
would not be in the White House to-day. It
must know that. under the present basis of
representation and political conditions, the
Democratic representation in Congress from
the Southern States is out of all proportion
larger than they are entitled to. while the Re-
publicans of that section are not represented
at all. In short, it must know there is no
such thing as real republican government in
those States. Does it approve this state Of
things, or does it simply think it inexpedient
to discuss them9 Does it, upon reflection,
really think it an evidence of sectionalism to
refer to these facts, and to endeavor to rouse
Republicans to the enormity of the continuing
crime that is perpetrated in the South? Is it
becoming in a once Republican newspaper to
designate reference to this crime as "waving
the crimson undergarment?" Coming nearer
uOmc, VIC 1Ady AcLudIh ed0L bOLloC4aIiC AucLA-
DDS in some of the Northern States,
notably here in Indiana, are
not whit less distinct or out
rageous than those in vogue in the
South. The Democratic gerrymander in this
State, the notorious election frauds and tally
sheet forgeries. show there is as much need Of
reform here as there. Does the Republican
think it out of place under such circum-
stances to 'insist on an equal ballot and equal
representation under equal iaws9" The sug-
gestion seems to be that we have come to
point where it is very patriotic and highly
proper to sympathize with the suffering Irish,
and to denounce misrule and injustice in other
countries. but disgustingly improper to refer
to any of the political outrages daily prac-
ticed in our own This is a revival of the
idea that prevailed in old times, when it was
unconstitutional to denounce African slavery
in America and unpatriotic to speak disre-
spectfuly Of Southern methods It is latter
day Democracy as amended and revised by
the mugwumps.
The Logansport Journal, in article