Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-09-25

with pensions, hoeral wiki subsidies,
liberal with the tariff rulings
and liberal with everybody else.
In these circumstances, and when they
are all 10 one unanimous, mad rush for
pelf and place, it cannot be expected that
the Republican convention at Saratoga
will develop much craftsmanship 1t
cannot be expected that such elements
viii develop anything but disgrace to the
Republican party and TO the country.
CONTROLLING EMPLOYEES BALLOTS
IT is neither the desire nor the inten.
ton of the Morning News 70 abuse Mr..
George w. Mckee. 1t does not wish to
abuse any one. The statements made
hy responsible business men yesterday
cannot be interpreted as abuse They
were plain statements Of fact and were
given just for what they were worth.
Our readers can draw their own conclu-
sions Morning News.
The conclusion that reAders draw is
that you are opposed not only to the law
compelling men to pay their taxes, but
that you are opposed to the enforcement
Of the law. The law was put
on the statute books TO promote
fair and pure elections. The chief evil
it was expected to cure was the control OF
large blocks Of ignorant and venal iioaters
who had been accustomed TO forming
clubs and societies under shrewd and I'M
scrnnulous leaders who sold the votes OF
the whole body for all they could get.
The cure for that evil was law requir
ing every man to pay his own poll tax,
register and carry his own certificate to
the polls and vote, apparently at least,
like an honest, honorable and patriotic
citizen.
In opposing the enforcement of this
law the Morning News opposes even the
assumption OF honesty and honor by
voter. The opposition to this law cannot
mean anything else than advice to evade
and ignoreit. II stands just as fairly, as
boldly and as bene6oially on the statute
books as the law against theft. A man
is no more honest and honorable in ignor-
ing and eyading the election laws than in
breaking the penal laws.
No man has right to choose which
laws he viii obey and which he will ig-
more. 1t is the duty Of an executive OIL
Ger TO enforce obedience to all. As an
honest man, in an honest manner, Collec-
tor Mckee was enforcing the law when
the Morning News made complaint
against him.
Let us examine the evidence brought
forward to support the charge that Coll
leetor Mckee is doing his duty and
supporting the law. The News presents
three cases, two Of rich Republican en-
ployers, and one Of poor cripple, the
friend Of a fussy Republican who
is probably hunting an Office. This
shows that Collector Mckee treats
rich and poor alike He can neither
be bulldozed by fussy man
hunting noloriety and an office nor by
rich men whose motives no can only sur
mise. The fact is that Mr.. Warner, who
is an honest and honorable man, had no
business With the thirty five certificates
Of right TO vote OF men Ia his employ
in his vest pocket. The law was
passed to prevent the purchase and
control Of votes In precisely that man
ner. II Mr. Warner should have been
caught with those certificates in his vest
pocket at the polls. he would have been
in an awkward dx In Offering to pay
the taxes OF his thirty FIVE employees, Mr..
Warner did an imprudent thing and
laid himself open TO the suspicion Of at
tempting to control those thirty FIVE
votes.
Collector Mckee did his duty in OBJ
iecting to issue certificate Of suffrage
70 any man but the man to whom it be-
longed Explanations are not due from
Collector Mckee for doing his duty in the
spirit and to the letter Of the law, but
from Mr. Warner for the suspicion Of
tampering with the thirty-fve votes Of
his employees.
With Mr. Bush the case is similar, ex-
cept perhaps he would have greater diff
Guilty in disarming his action Of suspi,
cion.
Ia the case OF Barwick, the friend Of
fussy partisan Mr. Pierson, II is as easy
TO find Collector Mckee as it is to find
Mr. Pierson--when Mr.. Pierson has not
an axe to grind.
But Collector Mckee is not RESPONSE
bic for the cripple or for the law. II
the law which is for the general good
works a hardship on any particular cit
izen that Is not the tax collectors fault
but the citizen's misfortune.
Thus is appears that the Morning
News and its partisans are not acting
the part Of honest aud honorable citizens
in opposing law passed to secure the
purity Of the ballot. In its wild and in,
discreet partifanship the News condemns
a honest and faithful officer for doing
his duty and puts its friends in the sus
picious predicament Of attempting 4
tamper with the certificates OF men ii
their employ.
| ---=z-==------
NEWSPAPER OPINION.