The Portland daily press., 1889-09-02
The Third Louisiana District,

If the Democrats of the third district of
Louisiana are guided by wisdom, they
will see to 1t that the election for congress
man. which takes place tomorrow, is free
and fair, that nobody, white or black, is kept
from the polls, and that the count is scrupu-
lously accurate and above suspicion. There
are elections in which a party may obtain,
frequently does obtain, a temporary advan-
tage at least, by resort to unfair and illegal
methods. Somei of the States of the South
have been, for many years, kept In the hands
of the Democracy by such methods. The
election tomorrow is not one of those cleo
tions. If Democrat is returned, and there
be any suspicion that he owes his election to
bulldozing, to ballot-box stuffing, or to fraud
ulent counting, his title to his seat is certain
to be inquired into by men who have both
the power and the disposition to reject it
and him, if it be found tainted with fraud.
Were the House.Democratic crooked methods
in the third district of Louisiana tomorrow
might secure, and in all probability would
secure, the Democrats an additional
member of the House of their political
faith. But the House is Republican and
therefore there Is no reasonable probability
that the Democrats will be allowed to retain
permanently the fruit of fraud That being
the case there is no rational motive for I'M
dertaking to steal this Third Louisiana dis
trict no morethan there would be for a thief
to try to purloin prop erty right In the face
and eyes of policeman.
And while there is entire absence of ra-
tional motive for wrongdoing in this case.
tho o q ctrnno 70 y;c, a w.
do not refer to moral reasons for those are
not expected to count very much with the
Democracy, but to political reasons, 1t
would be great boon to the Democratic
leaders who for years past, on the floor of
the house and on the stump, have had to in
vent innocent explanations for the tell tale
election figures that have come from the
Southern States, to be able to point to one
election admittedly fair and free and to
one count admittedly accurate and
above suspicion. Such an election might
be made to cover multitude of fraudu-
lent ones in the future. There is therefore
q big lot Of political capital, and of lust the
kind they are most in need of, for the Demo-
Gratis in a fair election in the third district of
Louisiana. Another reason why the Demo
Gratis should seek to do right tomorrow is
because it may save to them one, and DOS
sibly two, Senators. At the last election in
Louisiana, delegation was chosen which
elected two United States Senators. One of
those senators has been seated, but the 9th
or has not. There is abundant evidence in
the figures alone that that election was char
acterized by the gravest fraudsIin the count.
The business Of miscounting was oyerdone
TO such an extent as to return for Gov.
Nichols majority about as big as Cleve-
lands whole vote four years before. The
Senate has already made some movement
looking to an inquiry into that election, and
and consequently into the title Of the gentle
man who will year hence ask the United
States Senate to allow him seat in that
body. A fraudulent election in the third
district tomorrow is certain to greatly slim.
ulate this movement.
Notwithstanding, however, the entire alb
sence of rational motives for crookedness
and the presence of strong political reasons
for going straight, 1t is as certain as any
thing in the future can be, that there will
not be free and fair election in the third
district of Louisiana tomorrow, and that
there will not be an honest count unless the
supervisors are convinced beforehand that
there are more Democratic than Republican
votes in the boxes. Bulldozing tactics were
set in motion two weeks ago by red hirted
mob, who rode through st. Martinsville liz
the old Ku Klux Khan style. The day select
ed Tor this performance was the day on
which Republican mass meeting was to be
held. The Republicans took the delicate
mint and did not 60 to the meeting. A day
or two ago, Republican supervisor was
logged by these red-shirted heroes and driy-
en- out Of town. The question naturally
arises why the long-headed Democratic lead
ers, for there are amongthem some men who
are wise in their generation, permit these
performances to go On when there is nothing
to be made by them and much to be lost,
The answer probably is that they can't ston
them. The tiger once Embossed is not easily
chained up again. These Louisiana bull
dozers have been taught for years now tina,
the proper caper" for them when an cleo
ton is coming on is to put on their red shirts
load up their shot guns. and go cayortine
round the country frightening the ringers. ;
And not only do they think it is the proper
thing TO do, but they have come tt
like it. There is an excitement about it tina
is very taking. So the wise men of the Dem
ocracy reason with them in vain; and at thu
peril, perhaps. of getting dose of the mig
ger" medicine themselves If they go to put
ting on many airs.