New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-02
HONEST ELECTIONS.

HONEST ELECTIONS
Some Southern men have been doing their
hest TO suppress the Southern boycott. They
have told the people that the proposal was abb
surdly impIacticabe, that it was unfair because
persons who had done their best to please
Southern Democrats politically would lose as
much as all others, and on rare OCCASIONS some
have even added that it would be indecent to
expect Northern men to sell their poHucal
opinions with their goods. All this reasoning
had hut little effect But presently some one
suggested that the suest way TO get an Elec-
ton bill passed was to bully and threaten
Northern voters about it, Since that moment
the hpatics who proposed the boycott have
been less conspicuous. The only way to stop
agitation for an Election bill is to stop Demo-
cratic frauds. Ii is of no use to rave or threat
en-. Northern voters are slow and unready IN
reaching the conclusion that the Federal Gov
eminent must protect the rights OF It's citizens or
they will soon have no rights lett; that Ii must
protect its own existence, or II VIII soon eNSu
only in name as a government % the people
But sooner or later this will come 10 be for hon
est Northern voters the one issue which must
take precedence of all others. For there cannot
be a final decision of the people on any other
ouestion whatever. the tariff, silver, or the
relations of laborerS to employers until honest
elections of members OF Congress can be had.
An unusually careful and conscientious COM
mittee has examined with great labor the eyl-
dence in about twenty cOnteSted-electl0n cases
In few the committee has reported in favor
of the Democrats because evidence of fraud
WAS not convincing in few others the COM
1nittce has found proofs of frauds amounting
10 some thousands Of votes, but not enough
has been proved TO overturp the majonteS
officially reported The committee has prop
ery refused to give weight TO conviction that
the wrongs proved were only specimens OF
many others not yet uncovered and therefore
has reported for the Democratic members. In
most cases the proof has suf1iced, III the Judg-
mcnt of the committee and of the House, to
reo,lire the unSeatng of Democrats and the
seating of Republicans as having been actually
elected by the people. The evidence in these
cases will convince any honest citizen who
will take the trouble 70 examine ii that the
peopo were in fact robbed OF representation
in at least ten Congressional districts, about
which reasonable doubt can scarcely be enter
tanned Frauds equally high-handed would
have been perpctrated in several other dis
trictS had it been possible for Democratic lead
erS TO make success certain. These districts
were not in one section only about half OF
them were in Northern States Counting only
votes fgaudulenty cast and votes suppressed
by frauds in returns, il is safe to say that more
than so 600 citizens were directly robbed Of
their rights. and yet that is but small frac-
ton Of the wrong done. In thirieth OF the
Congressional districts at least, the entire ma
iority of voters was robbed excepting a. the
decision Of the House has since righted the
wrong. That is, out of six million voters of
the majority at least half million were rs
completely deprived of their share in govern
ment as if they had been disfranchised.
1t is essential to remember that this state OF
things arouses Northern interest because the
wrongs pelpetrated are not any longer III the
far-off south but come home 10 them, and are
found in their own districts and states. Not
less than half the voters who were at the last
Congressional election thus robbed Of their
right, bv Democratic frauds were voters in
Northern states At least quarter Of a mill
ion OF them were thus as completely diNinn-
chisod a, if a law had been enacted reducing
them 10 political servitude. Does anybody be-
lieve that such things will long be tolcntcdY
It is no longer possible TO arrest Northern feel
ing by pretending that this Is purely sec
tional question. II is at the North that right
thinking citizens want TO make sure of honest
elections They know how little such elections
are to be expected in Southern States, but can
get along if the will of the people in other
States can but be fairly expressed. Tho only
way to arrest the demand for legislation on this
subject is to suppress completely the series OF
frauds particularly at the North, by which the
Democratic party has sought to obtain control.