Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-05-15
The Suppressed Vote.

OF the Commonwealth Henry B.
Pierce has issued document which
makes solid reading for Henry Cabot
Lodge, of the Sixth Congressional
District, and United States Senator
George Frisbie Hoar. In point of
fact they arc likely to find it quite
indigestible. 1t shows the registered
vote of the State in the Governor
election last fall, and the actual vote
cast. The number Of registered
voters was 372,035, and the ballots
cast were only 273,833. In other
words nearly 100000 legal voters in
Massachusetts, whose names were or
the voting lists, remained at home
and let the government 60 to the
dogs. Was this vote suppressed ?
If such a showing were made in a
Southern State, Mr.. Lodge or Mr..
lIoar, would Instantly answer, eyes"
AS it was in Massachusetts nobody
dreams of makineea kSilea such charge.
But the figures given show but half
the picture. They simply make it
clear that twenty seven per cent OF
the registered vote was not cast.
The annual report Of the aggregates
of polls, property and taxes, gives
the total number of polls assessed rs
5S0,212, exclusive of women.
From these figures it will appear
that only forty-six per cent of the
total vote of Massachusetts was cast
in the last election. Neither Con-
grcssman Lodge nor United States
Senator IIoar has yet charged that
the vote Of Massachusetts at the last
election was suppressed, yet the
showing, if made in a Southern
State, would certainly be considered
by them as damaging evidence.
New Bedford, tho home of ex-Con-
gresham William w. Crapo, who
desired the Republican nomination
for Governor, but was beaten by
John 9. A. Brockett, casting 3,191
votes out of a registered vote OF
1916, and a total poll Of 9,072. Nc
one, however, accused Mr.. Crapo OF
any one else with supprcssing tho
vote Of his city, although the re-
turns conclusively proved that less
than one.thirl of those assessed for
a poll-tax voted. Plymouth, the
place of the Pilgrims, cast only / 1907
votes out of a total of 2,0S0, and
Duxbury, the ancient home Of Capt
Miles Standish, only cast 20S votes
out of 5l2 polls assessed. The city
of Salem, the home of the Puritans
cast but 1887 votes of total oi
1881 assessed male polls.
No one has thought any of these
facts worthy of an explanation. Nc
one has charged that the vote OF tho
State was suppressed or that any
attempt was made to suppress it, and
yet the facts arc somewhat damag
ing for the theories Of Mr.. Hoar and
Mr.. Lodge, in that the same state ot
things found existing in the South
arc discovered in the North, and ir
the State of Massachusetts of al
others. 1t might be supposed that
the teachings of the fathers would
be potentin this State to infuenct
men to their duty in the rcsponsi
bilities of government 1t would
certainly be expected that the ignor.
ant colorcd vote Of the South would
feel these responsibilities less. AnG
yet the Republican politicians who
scheme to perpetuatc rule no longer
desirable for the country nor crcdita.
bic to the past history Of that party
take just the contrary view.
If the descendants of the pilgrims
at Plymouth still living on the his.
toric spot, if the sons of the Puri.
tans at Salem fail to realize the re.
sponsibilitcs of citizenship, where
shall those be found who do apprc.
ciate these duties as they should
til undoubtedly true that the next
census will make the showing in this
State much more damaging in this
matter. The figures given are, as
regards the total number Of male
polls, considered under the actual
state of things. When Mr.. Lodge
and Mr.. lIoar stand up to defend
their Federal election bills they will
find these facts confronting them
The record of their own State in tho
case will be a strong witness against
their scheme. Unless they arc ablo