Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-04-01
Approved by Democrats.

1t was not unnatural that the Democratic
Philadelphia Record should undertake to
justify Senator Qusy's well-known attitude
of general hostility toward the Federal
elections bill in the last Congress. 1t was
a measure to guarantee free and fair
elections in the South as everywhere else;
it was o Republican measure which had
been passed by the Republican House, and
the party was pledged to it in tie platform
on which that Congress and the present
Administration were elected.
The Record is not the only Democratic
paper that has attempted to justify Senator
Quay's obstruction of this measure and
Senator Cameron's final vote fatty against
IL All the commendation for their action
has come from Democratic sources, and
the Democratic gratitude was such that
last year when Senator Cameron's intention
to vote against the bill was perfectly well
known to all who cared to inform them
selves he was promised the vote of Demo-
cratic members of Legislature to re-elect
him if he should not have Republican votes
enough. Similar hints are now thrown
out in behalf Of Senator Quay-that Demo
cratic votes will be given him rather than
have any other Republican elected to the
United States Senate in his place.
1t cannot be a pleasant contemplation
for our sturdy Republicansim when both
our United States Senators have so acted
on q vital party question as to meet the
approval of the Democratic press and to
deserve the support of Democratic members
of the Legislature for reelection. The
Republicans of Pennsylvania have led
those Of all other states in their fidelity to
and steady support of theprinciple embodied
in the defeated Federal elections bill. 1t has
been conspicuous feature in all our party
platforms for many years; it was directly
commended by resolution of the Repubh-
cans in the last Legislature, and it was
repeated with significant emphasis in the
platform of the last Republican State Con-
vention.
The same principle has been declared IN
our national platform for twenty years,
and the party is pledged over and over
again to legislste on the subject 1t Ii
an obviously proper demand in behalf of
the rights of every citizen whether white
or black, in the South or North. 1t was
the declaration of party purpose to do
what might be in its power to guarantee
honest elections free from intimidation,
a nd count and return of the vote as cast.
This was never more directly pledged than
in the last national platform of which
Republican President and Republican
Congress were elected.
The people had right to expect this
pledge to be fulfilled. 1t is no fault OF the
President or the Republican majority in
the last House that it has not been carried
out. President Harrison's position was
always we'll understood, and the House
passed measure in accordance with the
party pledge. This was thrust aside in the
Senate. The Democratic minority there
was aided by several Republicans who de-
serted their party policy. turned against
q repeatedly declared principle and purpose
of the Republican party, to serve the cause
of the Democrats. The two Senators
from Pennsylvanis had their share in this
Senator Quay's opposition to the bill was
no secret; he aided to kill ii with his
tactics, while senator Cameron openly
voted against it.
They could have done nothing which
would have more surely earned the COM
mendation of the Democratic press, and.
like the est eemed Record, they begin by
approving the Senators and end with
denunciation of TIE honest elections bill
But what about the Republicans of Penn
sylvania who have so steadily declared for
the principle of honest elections and legis
lation to promote them : Are they suited
with representatives in the Senate who
earn Democratic praise and support by de-
feating Republican party measuresf-
Philadelphia Press.