The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-06
4 EIxcfxa EEsoLU1nos.

rhs following plank in the cornprehen-
sive and excellent platform adopted By the
R<pubIIcan state convention we're enough
81 itseH, If alI else were stricken ont. upon
which 10 make winning contest:
4avfnx 10 . sfa.s where the right or every
fpe65.eru OF xssuraji1ed citizen who Las net
IN couvicted Of crime. 30 cast his vote "a he
u1e6oe and have II counted es cast. Is never
aue<ffcued. we insist that every citizen Of
eyery other state shall be protected IN tho en-
fofxn<ut Of the same right, II not By the states
{6euseives then by the general goyeraEaeut
broud against any citizen in any election jof
national Offices Is brand against ourselves.
No plank oil the platform is more heart
~ indorsed by the Republicans OF Wash
inkton than Is this one. As TO the princi-
Die therein embraced, there il no division
among them. On this point there Is no
room for controversy. In It's simplest
form it is merely declaration in favor OF
- Tree ballot and . fair count" That IN
government pretending to be free, based
on tbe principle that 'ail governments de-
rive their just powers from the consent OF
the governed" government which has
bsen proclaimed Is being ''of the people.
~ the people and for the people. . divis-
lon of sentiment upon this question seems
utterly ircomprehensible.
But against this principle, so palpabiy
lust and so manifesly vital to the per-
petuity Of our free institutions. there is an
opposition bitter and implacatle. With a
great party which commands the blind
adherence Of nearly one-haH of the Ameri-
c9n people. opposition to this principle, or
to the practical application of it. trans
csnds all other issues in current politics.
The Democratic party will surrender its
petition on every other issue rather than
6e1ee 70 enectments which viii proclaim
and assure the right. on equal terms. Of all
American citizens TO vote as they please
end to have their votes counted as cast.
This is no more anomalous than was the
position Of that party. then in control Of
"a branches OF the federal government. in
defending slavery as the paramount in
terest in what protested to be the freest
government under the sun. And they not
only stood ready, but actually made the
O0VAb W 0SShOJ kh0 RVsIAu4<EAt fatHCs
than compromise, much less yield, their
position in respect TO tho sacredness of
slavery wherever the free flag of the Union
kissed the breeze. Just as determined as
they were that the negro should not enjoy
his rights OF manhood and the fruits OF his
own toll. Just 80 determined are they that
he shall not enjoy the free and untram-
meled right OF suffrage which has been
pledged and guaranteed to him by solemn
amendment of the federal constitution.
As has been common with the bene-
6ciariss Of every entrenched wrong which
the government has undertaken to right,
attempts have been made to enshroud this
simple question with 'intricacies," and to
treat II as problem" requiring the null
tiplied wisdom of Solomon tor its solution.
On this owlish plea, backed by every form
Of force and fraud. in full view o. the
whole country, In bold defiance OF plain
provision of the federal constitution, fully
one million. about one-ffth Of the whole
body OF native-born citizens of the coun-
try. are debarred from the exercise of
tkC3f BtsifHck I9Eht SS o0Stts 4Aat villa Is
true is not at all problem"
It may not appear strange now, but it
viii few years hence, that the perpetra-
tors OF this outrageous rebellion against an
explicit provision of the constitution do
not deny but audaciousiy admit and de-
lend 1t. And as unanimous as is contem-
porary Judgment. not only against those
who maintained and defended, but also
against those who iemporized with and
tolerated slavery, even so unanimous will
be the judgment of posterity in condemna-
ton, not only OF those who suppress free
ballot, but OF those who. knowing and
witnessing and hesitating about prevent
Ing or correcting, are participants in the
CRIME.
As in the past there were. so now there
are trimmers and time-seryers. As in the
past, SO now. these are not found in the
ranks OF those WHO are defending the en-
trenched wrong. They are to a man bold
and audacious. and in the face of their de.
liant audscity some Of those who should be
equally brave in defense OF the right trem.
BILE and turn pale. The vol of an ont
ragged people, thunder-;oned. such as went
from all over this land when the flag Of
Sumter was shot down. is needed to arouse
these tinai6-hearted to a sense OF duty,
And while 1t is true that Washington's rep
resentatives need no such stimulus, the
Republicans OF this state owe it to vio
lated constitution and TO wronged Ameri
can manhood. to swell the diapason by re
rording an unprecedented majority for the
principle so msninlly enunciated by their
state convention. Let the great problem
of tree ballot and fair count be settled
on the lines OF constitutionaIity and JUS
tioe at the December session, and tina
speedily.
LOCAL ROAD PROPOSITIONS.
In not less than half the counties o.
Western Washington the newsnaners so5