Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-26
CASH FOUND FAR MORE POTENT,
And Leading Negro Politicians, for Con-
sideration, Pledge Their Fol-
lowers to Support
THE STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
The System Defended and COntrasted With the
Shotgun Policy.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE pIspArcB.


alleged wrongs OF the negro, would come
South and see one election they would gain
some valuable information if they kept their
eyes open. They would learn that there is
far less ballot box stufing and bulldozing
than they would have the world believe,
and at the same time they could learn some
methods of controlling votes which are in
every way superior to Dudley's "blocks of
five" plan.
There are very few localities in the South
where ballot box stuffing is now resorted to
in any election. A great many Republicans
in the North no doubt honestly believe that
every negro in the South would vote
If he could, and would vote the
Republican ticket. This is a mistake
The old theory of fraud in Southern cleo
tions which has done service in so many
campaigns, will die hard, but the facts will
no longer support it. To-day there is less
fraud at the ballot in Mississippi than there
is in Indiana, less ballot-box stufing in
Alabama than in New York City.
STUDY OF SOUTHERN METHODS.
For several years have been close OBJ
server of political methods In the South and
have watched them from an independent
of leaders of both portions, and have had
Democratic methods of carrying elections
explained to me in detail and have by re-
quest watched these methods in actual op-
Grafton, No one in this section will for
moment deny that there was a time when
shotguns, ballot-box stufing and many
other desperate methods were in vogue In
portions of the South. That was in the
days following reconstruction, when it
was question of redeeming
the fairest land on Gods earth
from the ruinous rule OF blind partisanship
and criminal ignorance, When it was a
question of race supremacy no white man
hesitated at the means. But that day has
passed A few years of such politics taught
the Southern people some valuable lessons
in political management. They saw the
ultimate danger of such desperate methods,
and at the same time learned there was
better way of controlling the negro vote,
way that involved no bloodshed, little risk
of criminal prosecution and Insured the
same results.
To begin with, all the negroes do not vote
and they will not vote if the Lodge bill be-
comes law, and a squad of soldiers sur
round every ballot box. The novelty OF
voting has worn off and thousands of ne
groes, who are too Ignorant to know the pur-
pose of an election no longer feel any inter-
est in one.
NEGROES ARE INDIFFERENT.
On the plantations where they live, five
or ten miles from the voting place many of
them never go to the polls Thev have not
been threatened or intimidated in any Tay;
they simply know nothing about the cleo
zion and Ieel no interest in it. The average
negro has no natural political enthusiasm
He must be drilled, instructed and led. 1t
is necessary to convince him of the import
ance of his vote and then lead him to the
polls and place a ballot in his hand.
Away from the towns and cities in the
South there are few white Republicans to
lead and direct the negroes. Often there is
no Republican State or county ticket in the
held, no ballots are printed and distributed.
and If negro wanted to vote the Republi-
can ticket he has no ballot and no candi-
dates to vote for. This, of course, does not
all apply to elections for President and
Congressman, but it often happens even in
national elections that the local Republican
managers fail to supply all voting places
with tickets.
The idea that all negroes in the South are
Republicans is erroneous There are thou
sands of colored Democrats, and MANY of
them are among the most intelligent and
best Informed men of their race Every
one OF them has following negroes who
recognize them as leaders, and vote as they
do.
BUYING COLORED POLITICIANS.
But the plan that beats shotguns and bal
lo-box stufing, the plan which, judged by
Senator ingalls, standard of politics, is fair
and legitimate, is this: In everv voting
precinct or ward there is always found a ne
gro politician; sometimes only one, often
more. These negroes are politicians for rev.
enue only; they are out for the stuff. They
can all control certain number of votes.
Among the negroes in their precinct or
ward who are their interiors in intelligence
and political experience are ALWAYS a num-
Der who recognize them as leaders, and vote
the tickets given them by these men.
Ninety per cent of these negro politicians
can be bought with all their following and
bought cheap. When a campaign opens
these leaders are frequent visitors at the
local headquarters of both parties. They
are on the market and make no secret of it.
If the Republicans are we'll organized and
have money for campaign purposes the
bidding is sometimes spirited, but it often
happens that the Republicans have only an
imperfect organization and no campaign |
funds Then negro votes are cheap. These |
negro leaders 60 to headquarters and say |
how many votes they can control. ''How |
AAuCA mOucH W you WALL!
SPOT CASH TRANSACTIONS.
The leader names his price, and if it is |
considered fair one, the money is paid on |
the spot. He is promised no office or further |
reward. 1t is simple business transaction.
The man is paid to see that a certain |
number OF negroes vote the Democratic |
ticket. OF course, on the day of the |
election, close watch is kept on |
him to see that he carries out his part of the |
agreement These leaders, or vote pur- |
chasers, are usually smart enough to know |
that If they once play false their market |
value as vote manipHlators is gone. and |
that no party will trust them in future SO |
the watching is hardly necessary. This |
man, on the day of election, marshals his |
voters in blocks of 8, 10, 10 or 30, whatever |
number he has sold, marches them to the |
polls supplies them with tickets and sees |
that the tickets Are deposited in the ballot |
box. Some of them he pays for their votes, |
but the majority he does not. Ninety per |
cent of the money he receives goes into his |
own pocket and he manages by good talking |
to retain his honor and influence over his |
squad OF voters.
have seen many precincts and wards |
where the negroes werein the majority return |
big Democratic majorIties in this way. AT |
the last State election in this city certain /
ward was supposed to be strongly Republi- |
can on account of the large number of ne /
groes in that part OF the city. A very full /
vote was polled, all the negroes voting, and /
when the votes were counted there was
Democratic majority OF $50 in the ward.
APPARENTLY FAIR ENOUGH.