New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-11
4 FLAGRAYT ELECTION OUTRAGE.

The Democracy of Albany has been at pains
TO earn bad character. Two years ago 1t en-
deavored to count out the Republican who had
been elected Senator for the HVllth District.
The result was judicial investigation, during
which it was shown that Democratic election
supervisor had been brbed to cheat. This tact
was established by the affidavit OF the super
visor in queston-who, by the way, has not yet
been punished A few years earlier the De
mocracy Of Albany made a still grayer attempt
to reverse the popular will as expressed al the
ballOt-buX. The late lamented DR.. SWInbnrne
was chosen Mayor Of the capital in 1881 by
clear majority But the bafled and enraged
ringsters would not submit. by inducing some
Of the inspectors who were their creatures TO
tamper with the returns, the certificate Of cleo
ton was obtained for their own candidate, and
he took his seat. But the fraud was so garing
that, while proceedings were pending in the
courts looking to his displacement, the bogus
Mayor stepped down and out and DR.. Swim
burne came into his own.
At the election for local officers which took
place on Monday last the Democracy of Albany
showed that they were rs ready Us they had
ever been TO accomplish by foul means what
could not be accomplished by fair ones. y
more barc-faced crime against suffrage has
seldom been committed in this lawabiding
State Of ours. One Of the country polling
places was the scene of this outrage. The
Democratic bosses had policemen sent out from
the city who took possession OF the room con
tanning the ballot-b0Xes and threw ont the
Republican Inspector po-clerk and watcher
Accordingly, when it came to the counting Of
the votes, only Democratic heelerS were on
hand. The Republicans Of the district were
absolutely denied the right Of having repre-
SentativeS present in the interest Of fair count,
and the result was what might have been eX-
Ecrtcd-" only more 500 1.-THE Albany Jour
nal7 prints some figures which demonstrate
that these unmatched Democratic hcelers made
the best OF their opportunity:
The Eleventh District of WGtervliet according 10
the returns announced yesterday, cast a Democratic
vote II Az and Republican vote OF only 30. In
1854 the vote for Blaine 29G for Cleveland 1-0
la, fall II for Harrison 333, for Cleveland 25l
Thus III votes cast last fall for President
than cast this spring, and while tho Republican
majority last fall 50. the Democratic majority
five months later "a swelled 10 Az!
Such returns carry on their face an indict-
IlptlU Oh U1c NOuuuTtIS WHO llIHlNu iuPIll. 40
man Of cand0r can read them without having
the conviction forced upon him that the count
was conducted without regard to the votes.
70 charge this outrage and the others which
ave boon referred to to the Democracy Of Al
hany is not to assert that the rank and Tile Of
the party in that city are the foes Of law and
order, or that they are disbelieyers in re-
publican system of government, whose corner
stone is an uncorupted ballot. But the fact
remains that party is 10 he held responsible
for the conduct of those whom it places and
keeps in command and just so long as the Al
bany Democrats continue the rule Of the bosses
who stand ready to steal Offices when they can
not get them in any other way, the inefficient
innocent must suffer with those directly guilty.
And one ether point. What are the Albany
Republicans going to do about it2 Content
themselves with protesting against the outrage
of which their party and the sacred e. Sc Of
fair play is the victim? Or have they resolved
that they will not rest until they have sent the
perpetrators of the outrage to prison? The
public has no more dangerous enemy than the
man who offers violence to the election flan-
chSe. Failure to wage unrelentng war against
him is the worst sort Of COWardice.