The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-05
JUDGE CRISP'S VIEWS.
THE ONE OBJECT OF ALL TIE
FEDERAL ELECTION BILLS.

neOuS, re Say5-ENeeO OOutio0
The proposed legislation to put the con-
troll of congressional elections into the
hands of federal officers, says the Washing
ton correspondent of the New York World,
Is one of the most important propositions
now pending before congress. 1t was the
theule of Senator Reeds speech at Pitts
burg on April %. Probably no man in con-
gress is better qualified to express the south
ern opinion on the subject than Repre-
sentative Crisp Of Georgia He was chair
man of the committee on elections in the
last House. He is the leading democratic
member of the committee in the present
House. and he is indisputably prominent
among the democratic leaders in the popu-
Tar branch of congress. In an interview he
gave expression to his views on the subject.
IAN the bills of that class now pending
before congress-" said he, propose TO take
entire control of the elections of represen-
tatives in congress and to create returning
boards to count the vote and certify the re-
suit and make the certificate Of the return
ing board the criterion of a mans right 20
be entered upon the roll of members-elect
by the clerk. Eacn state prescrlbes the
qualifications of electors for representatives
In congress To TO this time each state has
regulated the place and manner OF the
election. These bills contemplate
taking these powers from the
states and making the federal officers dis
charge all the duties respecting elections
for members of congress. There is no ne
cessity for this law and no real demand
for it.
politicians have straightforward the news
papers, by statements on the floor OF the
house and by every other way In which
they could reach the people OF the north
TO create the impression that IN that section
of the country there exist ed a sentiment
which justified and excused fraud at cleo
tiors. murders for political purposes and
generally everything that could defeat the
right of the colored man to vote. The truth
is that in the south elections are as fairly
conducted and the votes as honestly counted
and returned as in other sections of the
country.
both in the north and the south bad men
occasionally commit crimes against the
purity of the ballot. Soon after the war
elections in the south were controlled by
federal supervision, and the result was that
political adventures, not at all identified or
in sympathy with the people, were returned
as elected to the various state offices and
they used these positions of trust to plumber
and Cypress the people they claimed to rep
resent. 1t cannot be denied that these re-
turning boards then falsitied returns and
certified results that were not true. After
a time the people of these states succeeded
IN electing to Office persons who did in fact
and truly represent them. The result has
been honest and economical state govern
ment and development of the resources of
the south that is the marvel of the age Life
and property are as fully protected there
now as anywhere in the world. Thousands
of people and millions of dollars from the
north have gone down there and aided and
assisted in this development.
1.-THE real cause of quarrel that these re-
publican politicians have against the south
is that it Is democratic. They are much
more anxious to retain power than they are
70 see prosperity there. They are anxious
to lead the minds of the people of the
north away from the economical and
financial questions that are now at issue
between the parties, and they hope and be-
lieve that the ISLANDERS and falsehoods that
they have circulated against the people of
the south have created In the north sentl-
ment which will justify or excuse them in
the enactment of laws ostensibly to protect
the purity of the ballot, but really to enable
corrupt republican returning boards to
certify as elected from many districts of
the south the candidates of their party.
whether in fact they are elected or not.
81 see that Mr.. Reed, in his Pittsburg
speech, says that the people of the south
justify frauds on the ballot-box. This l
utterly deny, and it would puzzle the scurvy
politician who seems to see the things he
does not, to furnish any credible evidence
to sustain this statement. That there may
be some bad men at the south ! of course
admit. There are such everywhere. But
that the people of the south, as a people,
either commit election frauds or justify
them is absolutely untrue.
1.-THE republicans proceed on the idea that
all colored men belong to their party, and
hence they argue that in every district
where the negroes are in the majoritya fair
a fair election would return republican.
This is not true. Very many colored people
take no interest whatever in elections.
While they were inclined soon after the
war to be republicans. they have found out
that their best friends are the people among
whom they live. The class of white repub.
licans at the south is not such as tc
inspire them with any great degree
of admiration. This class has discouraged
the candidacy of colored people and has
sought for years TO use the ,colored peoples
votes to put candidates of its own in office
The white southern republican leaders have
made all sorts OF promises which they have
not fulfilled. and the result is that many
colored people have judged the whole Re
publican party by those white republican
politicians with whom they come in contact
For this reason the negroes of the south
contests. | appeal to the thousands Of
Northern business men who have settled il
the south since the war to vouch for thi
statement.
1.-The laws of every southern state secur,
to the colored man every right they give t,
the white man. These laws are a correc
expires sicn of the public sentiment existing
where they are made. They are forced il
the courts, and are no more violated in tina
section than all laws are at timeS violated
by bad men in every country.
"a system of returning boards, appointe
or controlled by federal authority is odiou
TO the people. Each state should regulat
for itself the manner of ali elections therein
The states should be permitted to choos
officers in whom they have confidence
Our experience in 1876 teaches us tina
such returning boards can be impror
erly influenced. Everybody knows that il
louisiana and Florida, and in South Caro-
lima false result was certified, and on tina
certificate Mr.. Hayes was declared Presi
dent. To take federal control of election
implies want of confidence in the honest
and integrity of the officers of the states
There is nothing to justify this. Not one o
those gentlemen now so anxious for tn
passage of federal election law win admi
that it is necessary for the protection of tn
ballot in his own state. They assume tina
in states other than than those of their res
residence such lawlessness exists as TO de