New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-05
TyE pL1TtORM- FREE ELECTIONS.

There is n part of tho Democratic party
which insists that the sole issue in the coming
Presidential election is the Force BILL lhls
prctcnce has no other excuse than the follow
ing section of the Republican platform:
We demand that every citizen Of the United states
sb,r no allowed 10 cast ono free and unrestricted
ballot in nil public elections and that such bnlot Sna
be counted and returned cast; that such laws S'
be enacted and enforced will secnre to every cu
zen bc he Ich poor, native or foreign borl "hc
or back this sovereign right guaranteed BY the Con
situOn.
Tho free and honest popular ballot. tho inst and
canal representation Of ali the people. as well as theIr
inst and equal protection under The laws are the
foundation OF orr republican institutions. and the
ror,y will never relax It's efforts until the integrity
OF the ballot and the purity OF elections shall be in
guaranteed and protected In evcrr state.
Every right thinking and honest man OF
either marty must heartily approve the spirit
and the language of this declaration. 1t would
have been adopted instantly, with absolute
unanimity and hearty applause, in any National
Convention of either party during more than
n century of the Nations life. For until with
in a few years the Southern Democrats VINO
have denied free elections TO certain states had
not the hardihood to admit the fact, but as
serted that elections there were as free ana
honest as anywhere else. II this declaration
makes Gan overshadowing issue between the
great parties, it can only be because the Dem
ocratic party is determined to prevent honest
and free elections and to rob the people IN
some States of ga sovereign right guaranteed
BY the Constitution"
This is not the desire or purpose OF large
majority of the Democrats themselves, but only
Of certain leaders and reckless and desperate
minority. In one State after another the par
tisanship of these unpatriotic and inscriptions
men has contrivcd laws for the defeat of the
people's will The men who framed these laws
intended to rob the majority of its rights, ana
to give the power to minority. More honest
Democrats by the Million either Ignorant OF
the ini1uty of these laws or moved by strong
party spirit. have acquiesccd and by silent but
asserting votes upheld the wrong. 1t is right,
il is cminenty wise, it is high patriotic duty,
to make manly appeal to these Democrats.
Their sense of fairness will compel them, when
the facts are understood, to rcpudiate the acts
which unworthy leaders have devised, and to
restore to the people the rights of which they
have been deprived.
The Republican Congress in 1890 endeavored
TO frame a law to give better protection for the
rights of suffrage in all the States alike, but
in Congressional and Presidential elections
only. At once the fraudulent cry was raised
that the act would govern State and local cleo
tions, and at the South would turn over State,
county and city governments to negroes. There
was not n line in the bill which would have
affected any State or local election, but the
partisan leaders at the South appealed to igno
faa1
ing They pretended that the bill was meant
for the oppression of the South, whereas it APP
piled as much to NcwYOrk, Ohio and other
Northern States, and was meant to apply equal
" to all States in which elections might at any
time be unfairly conducted. 1t was called
"Force bill though there was no force in it.
Whether its provisions were wise some Repub-
icans doubted, and it failed to pass. But there
was never a ghost of an excuse for the race
prejudice and sectional feeling aroused about
IT, If it was in any respect partisan meas
urc, it was so only because the Democratic
party and no other profted by crimes against
free government
The declaration OF the Republican platform
is not an approval of the details of this par
ticular measure or of any other. 1t sets forth
the object which ought to be attained by some
law, leaving to the wisdom of legislators the
framing of practical and efficient measure.
To every honest Democrat, who respects the
Constitution and believes in free government,
this part of the Republican platform appeals
with earnest and manly spirit, and there will
be many who will answer with their votes for
free and honest popular ballot"
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TIE CASE or RAVdCHOL.