New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-28
A STARTLING EXHIBIT.
HOW REPUBLICAN VOTES ARE SUPPRESSED
IN FIVE STATES.

NEGRO OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CONSTR
TUITION TINKERING IN MISSISSIPPI
FACTS FROM CENSUS RETURNS.
ar TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUsE1
Washington March GA bulletin VIII be issueu
NV the SUPERINTENDENT Of the Census early next week
showing the population Of certain States by races ~
Will cover seventeen states and the Disrlct OF Couo"
in which we're found in 1890 ffteen-sixteenths' Ut
about "a per cent, Of the colored population Oh .he
vnted states As the superintendent justly remarks
these returns furnish adequate data from which TO
ascertain the percentage of increase Of the colorcd
nonnlation I'm the last decade and his remarks IN
to that increase and the movement and dstrbu
tiop OF the colored people will be found extremely
valuable and interesting. careful examination OF
the proof Of the forthcoming bulletin reveals
other facts which are Of vital interest TO the people OF
the United States and yet facts which 1t is not wmh
the province of the superintendent Of the Census OIL
ciaIly to discuss.
disclosure Of these facts will not be agreeable to
the Republican Senators who defeated the Election bill
either by open opposition or secret mtrignes'
or both; least of all will the facts
he pleasant to cestain socalled Republican senators
who attempted to justify their opposition to fair
election law for Representatives in Congress by the
nea that the suppression Of the colored vote in the
South in all elections Federal well as State ana
municipal is necessary in order to preserve white SER
government in that part of the Union NO plea couo
he more psncerc unsOund, as every intelligent Da
hnew at the time but the facts of the census add
tarrible emphasis and irresistible significance 10 tie
truth. -, ...,
According to the forthcoming bulletin the total
colored population Of the seventeen states ana DIS
trct of Columbia Is 6106166 and OF this total 3'oao'
o68 or more than 81 per cent, is found IN 'he hVe
States of Alabama, Georgia, louisiana MISSISSIPPI anu
eoutb Carolina. The total white population OF those
states IS 3357127, 1915 less than the coioreu
population. s.,,,or
Now Senator Hampton OF South Carolina senator
George of Mississippi Senator Gibson OF LouiSiSi"
Senator Colqutt, Of Georgia, and senator Moredi VI
Alabama and every other leading Democrat III thoSo
states agree with senator Cameron, OF fehusSN"h''
senator Washburn, of Minnesota Senators Wocou anu
Teller OF Colorado; senators Jones ana stewart "a
Nevada and other socalled Republicans who opposeu
the enactment of fair law to govern the eec,on ..
Representatives in Congress, that In any one VI INV
FIVE States named the number of coored VOTERS wiz
vote the Democratic State ticket either IN Na''on"
or state elections is equaed exceeded by the numoer
% 80 yo,srs vbo vote the Republican ticket in such
s,ectaons OF course if there is any real danger ''
white local selfgovcrnment will be overthrow IN any
State by the massng of the coiored vote lor any 'a
date-whether not 1t be shown that the WHITES nav
title to rule when they are in minorty-'he
retnrns will or ought to exhibit the extent OF 'hat
danger II not, then the pitiful and ptaDie pica VI
tbe Republican Senators and their southern De'hocrao
,riends sbrnks and shrivels until it is beneath con-
tempt. ~, ,,,or
Now to compare census returns with eecnoh
returns in the five States. admitting 10 w
true the assertions of Southern Dehoora.o
leaders in those States that substantially all III" "
voters vote the Democratic ticket and all the co"eu
voters the Republican ticket. In Alabama the wi'e
popuatlon June /, 1890 was s307o6. and the coioc"
popuation 6sl ,431. In November, 1850 Only n"o
teen months before the census was taken 'ieVei'i'
received III 32s votes and Harrison 51le7' ratio Oh
votes TO white population of 10 ., ana oi "
11oplus in the case of the coored voters Inc per
centsse of increase of white population during the
decade was 25.46 or o.54-pus veal. and the per
cenare of increase of colored population was l3oo OF
1875 per cent year, being difference OF less IMAM
per Gent between November, 1eSo, ana june looo.
Now State election held in Alabama IN looo, at
which the total number of votes counted and returned
for the Democratic candidate about 140OoO anu inc
number returned for the Republican candidate
ratioof 10 5splus of the white population ana Oh 10
l6plus of the coloied population. In otheF WOuS 1t
took nearly three times as many colored people 10
yield one voter as 1t did Of white people.
In Georgia. the white population June ], 1e0o'
was 073,462, and the coloTed population was
s63716. In November, 1888, Cleveland teceived
few more than 100000 votes ard the Prohibit
lion candidate received enough 10 make the
total 1O2257 while Harrison received 4o44"
votes The ntio Of Democratic votes to white popula
ton was to 95-l, and the ratio Of Republican votes
of increase of white population in the decade was only
5-lOo of per cent greater than the in
Increase of cOlored population, and the dli-
ference In nineteen months therefore was
too small to affect the ratio Of votes TO population In
1890 the total Democratic vote for Governor was loo
3G5, about 5000 more than the Cleveland vote OF
1888 although the Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor had no opposition whatever In 1880 the total
Democratic vote for Congressman was 81 1853 and the
total Republican vote 1903, giving ratios OF
to 92-l- and TO BAL, respectively In other words
il took nearly six times as many coloIed persons 10
Weld one vote as il did white persons Not much
danger OF colored domination in local elections III
Georgia!
In Louisiana the colored population exceeds the
white population, the figures being white o34'12,
colored So, 500. In 1858 Cleveland received eoo32
votes. ratio of to Co.,, and Harrison received
80 7Ol votes, ratio Of TO 1851 In other words
it took nearly three times as many colored persons
10 Weld one vote in 1883 it did white persons
There was no state election in 1890 The total number
of votes returned for Democratic candidates
for Congress 60247, ratio of to ELL
Of white popuation. The total returned for Republi-
can candidates was I4l52 a ratio of l to 3G.6- of
colored population. Again II took three times as
many colored persons 10 yield one vote as II dd whIte
persons Apparently there is LITTLE danger OF negro
domination in Louisiana, despite the prepondeance
OF colored population.
In Mississippi the colorcd population exceeds the
white population by 2O5,O00, the totals being white
53g7O3 colored 747.72O Here if anywhere, danger
Of negro domination" ought TO be apparent indeed
10 the white people of that State it seemed to be so
imminent that they have recently changed TIE state
Constitution deprive the negroes of the right
OF suffrage as far practicable. No general election
has vet been held under this amended" constitution
In 1855 Cleveland received 65471 votes, being in
the ratio OF to 63-l- of the white population,
Harrison received 3o,O06 votes being in the
ratio of 1 to 24.8-l- Of co!ored population. In
other words took about four times as many col0red
persons as it did white persons 10 yield one vote In
1890 the total Democratic vote for Congressman was
453s being in the ratio of to ELL of the white
population. The total Republican vote was l4,226.