Omaha daily bee., 1889-11-07
OF NO NATIONAL IMPORT.
The Administration View Of the
Recent Elections.
FOUGHT ON LOCAL ISSUES.
Not the First Time OHIO Has Been
Afflicted with Bourbonism-Fed-
erai Election Law Cham
pions Defeated
WAsuISeToN BUREAU THE OMAHA BrH,
b19 FOURTEENTH Strict,

important.
The issues in every state were local. Cen
oral Malone has simply demonstrated that
the bourbons have sufficient hatred for the
negro and himself TO lead them TO the most
outrageous suppression of votes, intimida-
ton and fraud, and there was no inconsider-
able detection of the Wise element OF tho
party. The issue forced by the old line
party there was Malone and anti Mahone.
Not single national question was involved
and not man in Virginia who worked Tor
the defeat of the republican leader would
listen to any other issue than the personal
one.
The lesson which the result teaches is MAJ
tioual IL Is true, involving as 1t does the
franchise of the black man, but the battle
which brought il about was fought upon
pc rsonal and local grounds.
Governor Foralter's administration ana
the question of third term for CHIEF
magistrate i'm that state were the issues IN
Ohio. The tariff, civil service reform and
the many other planks of the republican
national platform were not in sight during
the heat of the battle which waged for
month or more. In addition, especially in
Cincinnati the liquor lords threw their
business and their money and efforts on the
side Of democracy with characteristic ar
r0gnnce and malignancy.
The result in Iowa creates more surprise
here than the news from any other state,
for the simple reason that the questions be-
fore the people theres were in Was ington
obscure, and the further reason, that Iowa
is regarded as a republican stronghold that
cannot BIO broken into by the enemy under
any conditions or circumstances. The ex-
tension Of the law controlling the liquor
traffic to a point beyond the endurance of
the minority, and republican candidate for
governor who did not meet the approval OF
tho granger element, conspired TO bring
about democratic victory.
To talk of Ohio aud Indiana being demo
cratic on the fundamental issues that divide
parties is to talk nonsense,
In Massachusetts, New York, and all states
where there were elections held yesterday.
local and especially personal issues con-
troled the voting. Had everything gone re-
publican no attempt would have been made
to call it a republican victory beyond state
lines. In only one instance has even the
most rabd democrat made any effort to con-
meet the election with President Harrisons
administration.
Now that the work is over some democrats
claim that Malone was the administrations
candidate. It said by them that Malone
was assisted by President Harrison and his
friends to secure the nomination and helped
by all possible means in the campaign. To
the extent of hearty endorsement of good
republican this is true. President Harrison
doubtless endorsed General Mahone's can
didacy in this sense and hoped
for his election. He would have done this
had any one of the thousands eff good repub-
iicans in the Old Dominion been at the head
of the ticket. But it is as absurd even for the
purposes OF this clam to title the leader of
the Virginia republican campaign 'the ad-
miuistration's candidate" as 1t would be TO
give the same title tosthe candidates in Iowa,
Massachusetts, or any of the other states.
Those VINO have made themselves familiar
with the political history of Ohio are not at
all surprised at the result. The democrats
have carried tine state without interruption
at the election Immediately following the
selection of a republican president for many
years. Thurman, Pendleton and Payne
have been sent to the senate without a break
in the senate, without break in the record,
as a result of tho 'off year, elections
parallel to that of yesterday. 1t is but q con-
tinuntion of the history Ohio has been
making ever since the war, and there is no
Significance in it further than the contlnu-
ance of democrat In the United States
senate as q colleague to Sherman. He has
had such colleague for the past twenty
four years.
A DEATH BLOW
death blow has probably been dealt the
proposition TO enact federal election law by
the transactions at the polls in Virginia yes
terday.
1t has been demonstrated per adventure
Iueb any KIM u u 6leCuiOn INV WOulu
be resisted to the extreme end in the south
Just so long as the larger proportion ot
c0lored men remain in the south and the pre-
judice exists there will be suppression o1
their votes by one means, If more conven
tent and other means IL necessary, unless the
federal government is ready TO take up arms
and fight for the rights 1t has placed in the
hands of the blacks. The advocates of the
federal election law now in Washington say
that il coulu only be enforced by the presence
at ba of nj tad Stnta
marshals or United States troops, ana stern
action by either of these representatives OF
federal authority would be disputed by the
democrats. The 'purging of the registry
and the keeping away from the polls of the
black voters are the smallest of the crimes
1t was demonstrated all through Virgnia
yesterday that by giving the
white man an opportunity u
precinct and keeping the black man in line
all day until the polls closed was most ef
fectIve mode of suppressing the colored vote
All sorts of dilatory questions and foolish
catechsms to c0lored voters were applied
Tor tine purpose OF killing time, so that wheI
the hour came TO close the polls the creates,
number possible Of colored voters would b,
left in line without exercising their fran
chise.
The first duty of a federal officer under
federal election lawwould be to see that nj
unnecessary delay was permitted for the
purpose OF preventing the black men from
voting. AS soon as a federal officer woult
demand "a cessation of these popular tactic
there would be collisions between state anl
federal authorities which would result il
riot and bloodshed. IL would be useless /,
enact federal election law withou
strong safeguards guaranteeing free bal
lot Tho moment u conflict was inminen
between state and federal authorities th
militia would appear and little less than
revolution would follow. The colored mel
of the south can no more defend their right
-. &c.. .EsN tha nf .