Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-11-08
Washington ettar.
IFRoH OUR REaULAR CORREsPoEDzEF. }


ions. He says that the Congress Of the
United States has undoubted power
to supervise Congressional elections.
They are thoroughly national and per
haps the only really National elections
we have, The question as to what
shall be done ia this connection Is full
of difficulties. The law whatever it
may be, has to be enforced by State
tribunals, and the Witnesses and every
body else connected with the ease
come from the community which is
oftentimes in sympathy with the Vi
olater Of the law. No statute can be
enforced where the public do not de-
sire to enforce it.
Mr.. Brown directs his fire against
the Southern districts which have
small voting on their general elections
the back districts. There are of
course two sides to the case. Congress
man Catchings, Of Mississippi, says
that the idea that the negroes of the
south are sitting up nights waiting
for a chance to deposit an honest bal
lot, is a mistake. He does not think
that fifty per cent of those in the dis
tricts that are Overwh eImingly one
way or the other, have gone to the
polls in the last ten years. Negroes
viii pick cotton within one hundred
yards of the polls and never quit to
cast their votes, except xsuch as are
paid for gong directly, and such bri-
berry is seldom necessary. maiorities
being so large. The trouble is that
the cOlored people Of the south do not
read the current literature of the day
and have no conception of economic
questions. For themselves they see
no direct benefit to be reaped from po-
IiticaI life, and they know that it now
means simply who shall hold Office.
There was a time in the sixties,
when they were first freed, when to
their minds. their salvation depended
upon their voting the Republican
ticket. They were packed about the
polls waiting eagerly to exercise their
preFogatives. The lapse of time.
peace and security, has brought a feel
ing Of Indifference. Thus, and much
more, Mr.. Gatherings and th1s you
see the fallacy Of putting your trust
in princes, especially if the princes be
Messers Brown and Catchings. It IS
a long way from Indiana to Mississip-
pi.
Though it rained and blew and
showed here day before yesterday, the
meeting Of the National Board OF
promotion Of the proposed exposition
in Washington in 1892, was an unquaI
fled success. The meeting was call ed
for noon, but long before that time,
and long afterwards, delegates kept
arriving untlI the attendance was far
in excess of the most sanguine expect
alton. There was more than one hun
dred men present as delegates-repre-
sentative men, governors, mayors, cap
ltalists-from every state, from Maine
to California, from Dakota to Florida.
It-had been supposed that the spa
cious main parIors of Wizards Hotel,
opened together, would accommodate
the assembly, but so great was the
crowd, that it was found necessary to
hold the business meeting in Willard
Hall. Among those present were Gov
ernor Biggs, of Delaware, Governor
Fleming of Florida, and Governor
jackson, Of Maryland.
In his report to the promoters, Sec
rotary Anderson was particularly hap
by, and his presentation of the claims
of Washington was most convincing.
He called attention to the fact that
there is already here the nucleus Of
an exposition that has already cost the
government over S5O,0O0,O00, and
every year adds to the expenditure.
This is the National Museum, the Cap
itol, the Patent Office, the Washing
ton Monument, and the various Gov
eminent buildings, with their stores
of relics and treasures Of art, and
their exhibits of the practical work
ings Of the government. These are
practically an exhibit Of themselves,
To be sure some Of them could be
loaned as they have been IN the past,
but they could be only a part OF all
the attractions, and It would be bet
ter to keep even these permanently