New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-10
TINS yE1P'c STEALING.

"Nho is stealing now?' asks Scri0rS read
or. who is not quito familiar even Yet with the
Democratic habit of shouting "Stop Their
when Democrats have been detected i'll iaS-
cality. The outclicS confusing. even To
those who ought to know well the ways OF that
party whose peculiarly it * to regard every
law to secure purity and honesty Of elections
as a blow aimed al its very life.
In New Hampshire certain towns were on
titled TO increase of representation after n new
census had established their gain in population.
The Democrats have been trying 10 rob these
towns Of their increased membership until after
n senator has been elected by the Legislature
The only excuse or reason for this bit OF ilS-
caIity was that a Democrat might possibly be
chosen. if part of the members nightly entitled
to seats could be kept out for some weeks. But
the Democrats were unable TO brighten anybody
with threats of revolution, appealed 10 the SUI
prcme Court of the State, and were dcScrVcdly
defeated. and now have the consciousness that
embittcrS the life of the thief who has been
caught with his hand in another mans pocket
They failed 10 steal a Senator but have ac-
oulcd considerable amount Of disgrace.
The case in Connecticut Is not quite so
simple The Republicans have n majority an
the Legislature on Joint ballot, and will elect
a Senator. and a majority in the House, but
have lost the minor State Offices. and the Gov
elnorshp alone is in dispute. The Democratic
candidate is not conStitutiOnally elected unless
he has clear majority of the votes cast. but
the pIctcnce that he has bare majority Is
sustained only by throwing out few Prohibi-
tion ballots in certain towns on the ground that
they bore a little mark resulting from a defect
in printing Nobody honestly suppONeS that
they were not actually cast by legally qualified
voters. nor is it seriously believed that they
were intentionally marked by anybody in dis
regard Of law. is might have been supposed
if they were ballots for any candidate VINO
could have been elected. No Democrat would
think Of theowing them out, If il had not hap
pened that a bare majority could in that way
he figured for Democratic candidate, and not
in any other way
The knaveres by which Governor Hill and
his instruments hope TO steal certain seats IN
The New-York Legislature have been fully de
scribed and have no excuse except the greed OF
Democrats 10 get Office, which they do not need
and 10 which they are not entitled. j Is
merely a wanton robbery because being honest
is unnatural. An attempted theft in Illinois
through the quick unseatinc of enough Repub-
licanS in the Democratic House TO give the
Democrats majority over all parties on JOINT
ballot was intended to rob the farmers who
had elected three members and righttully hold
the balance Of power The Republicans prompt
~ met the trick by serving notices OF contest
against like number of Democrats in Re
publican Senate, and the Democrats appear TO
have concluded that they can gain nothing by
rascaty in Illinois The net result will prob
ably be the election of a member Of the Farm
ers' Mutual Benefit Association to the senate,
and he is likely 70 be Republican
The case in South Dakota appears to be
threatened theft with a ScnatOrship rs the par
tcular plumber to be desired by USeating
eight Republican members with sufficient haste
the Democrats hope to be able to snatch that
prize. and the Republicans intend TO prevent il
if they can. If they succeed, another pro
longed shrek will be raised that the Rcpub-
licans are stealing another Legislature, al
though they contend only for the retention OF
members who were duly elected and returned
and have taken their seats. In Montana, the
frauds in Silver Bow County by which the
Democrats tried in vain 10 snatch two Senator
ships last year have been repeated, and they
are now trying 10 brighten Republicans into
submission by diSOrganizing the whole State
government, and preventing necessary lcgisa-
ton, unless they can be allowed to seat men
not lawfully elected. Such is the crop Of con-
tests which inspire Democrats at Washington
with horror at the thought that Federal law
may promote honest elections next year. when
Congressman are to be chosen.