The Indianapolis journal., 1889-11-15

Democrats Already Considering q Gerry
mander-They DO Not Learn by Experience.
Philadelphia Press.
Democrats have obtained complete con-
troll of Ohio and they are already discuss
ing what they will do with their victory.
They have never had the Legislature in
their possession without using their ad-
vantage to the utmost partisan limit. They
will undoubtedly follow the same policy
this year, and consequently it is expected
that the congressional districts will be ger
rynlandered. the State institutions re-
organized, and the guards set up about the
ballOt-boxes thrown down, and every step
taken which can aid the Democrats in
keeping possession of the State.
Ii will avail nothing for them to know
that such policy has never aided them in
the past. In 1877 they elected Mr.. Bishop
Governor by plurality of 22.52O. and
gained control of both houses of the Leg
isiatnre by large maiorities They at once
rearranged the congressional districts so as
TO give them, as they hoped, at least three
fourths of the Congressman, and turned
out every Republican official they could.
But at the next State election the kepub-
licans had over 1900 plurality, and recov-
cred full control of the Legislature. and.
Notwithstanding the shameless gerryman-
der. about half the Congressmen wele Re-
publicans
The Democratic victory of 1883, when
George Hoadly was elected Governor, was
used in the same way The congressional
arrang .ment made under the census of 1880
was again disturbed and the districts
patched and twisted so that the Republic
ans were able to carry only ten OF the TWEEN.
ty-one, although they had plurality of
over Is, 600 ON the popular vote. The fraud
and corruption that ran riot through all
the State departments during the Hoadly
administration and the bankrupting of the
State treasury are matters of record, But
all the States patronage and the colossal
frauds on the ballot-bOx did not save the
Democrats from singing defeat at the
next election.
These lessons have done the party appar-
emily no good. The Ohio Democratic pa
pers are already discussing how many con-
gressional districts can be gained by a
gerrymander. and the Southern Democratic
papers are urging that an arrangement of
the districts be made which will gain for
the Democrats in the next election as many
congressman in Ohio as the Republicans
have gained in the four new States. In
other words. gerrymander In Ohio is to be
made so as to offset about 10000 Repub-
jority in the Northwest. With this gain
added to the solid delegations from the
South the Democrats boastingly proclaim
their ability to elect majority TO the next
Congress.
Another method by which the Democrats
hope to gain in Ohio is by abolishing or
rendering useless the registry and election
boards These were established by the Re-
publieans after the colossal Democratic
frauds committed in 1885 in order to re-elect
George Roadly Governor and defeat John
Sherman for the Senate. Mr.. Campbell.
Democratic GOvernor-elect. made these
boards an especial subject for attack in his
campaign speeches. and the prominence in
| the canvass of Mike Mullen, the Demo-
| cratic bulldOzer. of Cincinnati, who was
sent to prison but pardoned by Grover
Cleveland in time to help on the frauds and
| forgeries of 1885, is All indication of what
| the Democrats will do with the laws in
| favor of honest elections.
On the whole. the outlook for Demo-
cratic satnrnalia in Ohio appears to be es-
| pecially promising.