The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-04-27
REPUBLICAN PLOTS.
How the G. o. p. Proposes to Maintain
Its Hold on the Country

- - = - O~~-~-
"What are we here for?v is ques-
ton no longer asked in Republican
circles. 1t is perfectly well under
stood that where two or three Re-
publican politicians are gathered to-
gether the object is to get Office.
1t is quite true that the hunger
for office is not wholly confined to
any one party. Even among Demo-
Gratis, who are, politically speaking,
the salt of the earth, there sometimes
may be found men possessing gen
erous ambition for the honors and
emoluments of Office. But it is
among Republicans that the appe-
tite has attained it's highest develop
ment. To them it is the breath Of
life.
By a curious miscarriage of our
electoral system, the Republican mi
nority in the United States heve
captured the Offices for the ensuing
four years. They are now satisfied
with this unexpected and undeserv-
ed favor Of fortune. Having secur-
ed the patronage for the Presiden-
tial term, they are resolved to hold
it forever. To this end they have
formed an elaborate and far-reach-
ing conspiracy the details of which
are developing from day to day.
The creation of new States out of
such of the Territories as are con-
sidered reliably Republican, and
refusal to admit those likely to be
Democratic, is one element of the
scheme In this way the Republi-
can majority in the House and the
Senate will be increased, and the
chances of controlling the Electoral
College greatly augmented.
But this is not enough to make
Republican success at the polls a
certainty. Four new Republican
States would add, perhaps, twelve
electoral votes to the Republican
column. Last year, when King
Doodle gave them New York and In
diana they did not need these votes.
On the other hand, in 1884, when
Cleveland obtained 219 electoral
votes to 1872 for Blaine, twelve addi-
tional votes would have done the
Republicans no good. Here is a
contingency that has to be provided
fer.
To guard against any such unto
ward accident and Democratic sue
cess in Presidential or Congressional
elections the plan is to take charge
of the election machinery in the
States. Give the President power
to re-elect himself at will, or what
comes to the same thing, to count
himself in. Give him the right to
control, through his appointees, all
elections for members of Congress.
Subsidiary to this scheme is the
proposition to subject the Southern
States to some sort of discipline by
which some of them may be forced
to give Republican majorities.
Precisely how this is to be done is
not yet apparent, but no doubt a
plan has been matured for the pur-
pose, and will be developed when the
opportune time arrives.
Will this conspiracy be success
ful2 Unquestionably there are ele-
ments of danger in it. The Presi-
dency was stolen once, and there is
possibility that the crime may be
repeated But the chances are alto
gether the other way. Efforts of
this kind are pretty likely to come
to naught.
In very close elections fraud and
conspiracy not infrequently may de-
feat the peoples will. But when
there comes popular uprising,
when the people awake to the dan
ger of losing their sovereignty, the
most elaborate plots count for moth
ing and the conspirators come to
grief The Republican plot to- hold
to power is too elaborate, and is
likely to work out it's own destruc-
tion.-C Courier y ouqnal.
NJ