The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-12-18
Something 10 Thlnk About.

Sacond Congress and Republican,
Mr.. Gibson, receiyed |, ,24S votes, max
ing the total vote cast in the district
0,9S6. The minimum yuts ol Congress,
ional districts by the apportionment ot
1880. was about 81. 900. Mr., Crisp's dis
trlct has over 40, 600 votes in it and d
large majority Of them are Republi-
cans, but they dared not to vote with
out risking their lives Mr.. Crisp has
been elected Speaker by the Demo-
Gratis of the Fifty.Second Congress.
Does anybody pretend to say that Mr..
Crisp was fairly and honestly elected
to Congress !? At an election soma
years ago less than 1000 votes in MIR
Crisp's district elected him TO Con-
gress, but in 1890 he increased his vote.
Speaker Crisp has appointed his
committee on rules which consists of
himself, Mr.. AcMillin. Mr.. Catchinga,
Mr. Reed and Mr. Burroughs, the twp
last named being Republicans. Lot uB
look for a moment at the vote cast
for each at the late election we have
already analyzed Mr.. Crlsp's vote.
Mr.. McMillin represents the Fourth
district OF Tennessee, where there is
more pretence of fair election held.
He was elected in 1890, receiving l4,5I4
votes to 1850 for G. W. Garrett, Repub-
llcan,and 523 for J. A. Goodpasture,
Prohibltionist, making total vote In
the district OF 22,667, reasonably re-
spectable vote, but allowing for the
increase In progressive State liRe
Tennessee, some 5000 to $4,000 votts
short of what it should have been,
and it may reasonably be supposed
that u very large majority of those
not voting were not Democrats. But
while there are &c many worse dis
tricts than Mr.. McMlllin's we will not
criticise him harshly further than to
cay that it is extremely doubtful II lie
had been elected on a full vote.
But let us pass on to Mr.. Catchings
election. He misrepresents the Third
district Of Mississippi, commonly
known as the 'shoe-strlng, district.
II received this term on account of a
gerrymander which threw long line
of very strong Republican Counties
together, conceding it to RcpuHll
can representative but by which all
the other districts were made solidly
Democratic, This ''shoe-stringr dis
trict had about 10000 voters allotted
TO it when it was laid out and the Re.
publican majority was conceded to be
about $4,000. A Republican, Mr..
Lynch was at first permitted to repre-,
Hont the district in Congress as was
intended but bull-dozing methods be-
came so successful in the State that n
military campaign of rifle clubs was
originated and the Third district fell
into the hands OF the pure and un4ul-
lied Democracy.
In place Of AZ, 00j votes being cast il
the district tine vote genorally ran geo
from 5000 to 5000, until last year, when
the Democrats permitted larger VOTE
than usual TO be folled, Catehings
received S6SG votes to 27li for his Re
publican competitor, who was very
plainly told that he would be killed il
he attempted to carry the district. The
total vote cast was II, ,4O6 out OF more
than 50o0o in the district now, ,allotinl
slr the Increase of decade The whols
vote by which these three Southern
Democratic members Of The eommEtte,
on rules were elected to Congress wa,
1850.
Now let us look over the vote u,
which the two Republican meuiber
Of the same committee were eldatet
10 Congress. MIR. Reed represents til,
the First district of Ma!ae, stat
at did not Increase very ma th ii
population during the last deaade
Mr.. Reed $ vote was Ii, 100, his eGmpe
titor Mr. F. Frank, Democrat, receive
1870, and t. b. nnssey, Prohibition
1T received 4S7, total vote cast IN th
district, 29, 254, neullyn fun yotc. An
fair mindeGreader will not iail 10 sc
tie Inference between nh eleetipn i
Maine and al election in Georgia q
Mississippi.
Air. BurrOnghs represents tbs
fourth district OF Michigan and at tht
LATE election received 1906 t,
b.6iS for George L. Iuple Dem ocrg
and 2. si3 for G. F. Cunningham, Pre-
Iihitionist total vote OF 81, SD
How does this compare with trisp'
ard Catehing.s ii7trtnts The three
Democratic members Of the commit
tee m rules were elected by sott
vote of 45.35a ana tho two Republc
members by vote Of O. So. Here
food 'hr Thought for thoughtful
voters
>--zs4HE appointment Of Hon. SEephe