New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-25
DEMOCRATS IN A QUANDARY.
RESULT OF THEIR TRICKERY IN RHODE
ISLAND

WITHOUT SPECIAL LEGISLATION BY RFpuprt.
CANS THEIR ASSEMBLY TICKET BEATEN
ALREADY-Ex- CONGRESSMAN
HoRRS SPEECHES.
FROM STAFF CORRESPONDENT or TaE TRIBUNE.
Providence, March 24.-The Lincoln episode CON.
tinues to engross the attention of politicians of
both parties. A bill was introduced in the Cen
eral Assembly to-day for enabling the Democratic
electors Of that town to vote for the list of can
didates which has been invalidated by technical
errors attributable to careIessness II was re-
ferred to she judiciary Committee and its passag
by the lower house now seems probable In the
Senate il will not be enacted until testimony
establishing the irregularity and ilegaity of the
Democratic procedure has been taken Many Re
publican leaders Of the Assembly are disincined
TO favor the special legislation for which the
Democrats are clamoring But there is a strong
feeling the part of the majority in favor of
passing the act, and this will probably be done
early next week. The argument of the majority
is that the Republican party will get full credit
for fair dealing and justice, and that it will be
unwise to take advantage Of technical errors for
which only two three ignorant wire-pulers
were responsible The temptation to enforce
the Australian Law rigidly in this case
is
doing this can practically regard the next General
Assembly as theirs already. If the Democratic
nominations for Lincoln are thrown out for a
clerical error the Republicans will have six seats
in the Legislature without struggle, whereas
they have been expecting a closely contested cleo
ton These seats, with the SIX secured elsewhere
by Democratic neglect. would practically involve
Republican control of the next Legislature and
the reelection of Senator Aldrich. If the special
act be sanctioned by the Republican Legislature
the six seats will he hotly contested. and the
Senatorial election will remain an open question
Tile action of the Republican Legislature in
legalizing nomination papers which have been
vitated by trickery and neglect will be extremely
maxnanimous since that body has been denounced
bv the Democracy of the State for having re-
course 10 special legislation in the town Of Lin
coin A few years ago the Democrats carried the
town fairly. but having once obtained power there
they determined TO retain control by foul means
The next year the Republican candidates were
counted out by the tissue ballot process Inc
frauds were made glaringly apparent by the
Republican tally lists Of all the voters Inc
Legislature passed a special act appointing loui
election supervisors. two of each party, to pfeSeho
the recurrence OF fraud. At the next elecuoh
ballots were punched and folded toge'her III
Shrees dozens and even ffties, and the frauds
When these suspicious punches were excluded, the
Rcnuhlican candidates were elected. but the Demo
cratic managers insisted upon having them counted
bv the election officers. In this way the Demo-
cratic candidates were counted in. and the Repub-
Ican ticket was defeated. The officials took good
care to have all the ballots including those which
had been punched, destroyed within twehty-iour
hours. The Republicans appealed to the courts
and secured the election of their ticket since the
evidence of Democratic fraud was Overwhelming.
Uhe Legislature then passed second act, dVlolng
the town of Lincoln, with its population OF
90 600 into seven districts This act, together
with the previous appointing election super
visors has been vehen.ently condemned by the
Democrats as involving an invasion Of local rights.
By curious coincidence the party which has been
clamoring against the niquty Of special egisa
for Lincoln is now compelled 10 importune Re
publican Legislature for the passage Of an enabling
act for Iegalizing irregular list OF candidates. Inc
list presented at the last moment was not en'S
irregular from the absence OF We signature OF
the secretary of the caucus, but also from being
a dishonest return Of the nominations mace Inc
Raro, law REQUIRES the filing of the list of cand-
dates actually nominated, and then allows seVerad
DAYS of grace during which designations Of candi-
dates and substitution of names may be oncialS
declared at the office of the Secretary OF State.
The Democrats, after nominating list that was
aceepta ble to the Irish caucus desired 70 chshge
il quietly 80 as to bring in French Canadlah
The legal method would have been to ME tne
original list and then to give notice OF the reslgha
tion and substitution. Instead OF doing thls the
Democrats swore in the altered list as the Original
list of nominations The Republican members of
the Assembly intend to have these facts c4eary
brought out in evidence before consentlng TO
rectify ST. pid blunders and miscalculated
sharp practice by which the democrats
have over-reached themselves. The argu-
ment of the best men ON the RepuDilcah
side is that the moral effect of doing just and
generous act in enabling the town OF Lincoln 10
have a free expression of political choice in the
snrino elections will be most helpful in lnhu-
sncing nublc opinion in favor of the election OF
Mr. Brown and Senator Aldrch. There Ii not,
boweyer. any voter in Rhode Island so credulous
az 10 assume that Democratic Legislature under
similar circumstances, would repair the illegall'y
Of Republican nomination papers.
A great impulse 10 the Republican canvass In
The State has been impaired by the ARRIVAL OIL eA-
Congressman Horr. His first speech was delivered
=, Wes,arlv in the face Of a driving ralnstorm,
which diminished the attendance. But ne had
eood audience and created great enthusiasm lie
was warned by the committee that he must eA-
meet 10 find a Rhode Island audience-cold, crit
ical and unsympathetic. But he succeeded In
oyckening their pulses and delighting them with
his quaint humor and homely, convincing argu-
,nent. Mr.. Horr made his second speech tonight
At Woonsocket which il regarded as the CHIEF
fghtng-qIound of the State. 1t Is large manu-
featuring town with working population that In
cludes many French Canadians His speech was
adapted TO his audience, and was received with
hearty applause, and at times with tumuituous
ncrriment.
Mr. Horr began by explaining the practical
difference between free-trsde and protective
tariff and made his first papablc hit in proving