New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-11
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
TENNESSEE ELECTION LAWS.
ENACTED TO SUPPORT FRAUDULENT AND
COgTLY BoURBoNISM-wHAT TIE SIAiH
HAS TO PAY FOR DEMOCRATIC RULE"

ENACTED TO SUPPORT FRAUDUbf'' ~
CoeTLY BoUHBoNIsM-wHAT TIE SrAiI
HAS TO PAY FOR DEMOCRATIC RULh'
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir The Democrats Of Tennessee have oi'''-'
their polltax law, their unique registration Ia" anu
their Infamous Dorch law all with the ob'ou' ',u
avowed purpose of keeping thousands OF g'o1 nepao
licans from voting. These laws were esIeo'iiS III
tended to cut of large per cent Of the coioiou
Democrats dlsclalm that they were 80 i"'o
They have the eGrontcry claim that these laws VIZ
only intended to purify the elections. ANY man ".i
an ounce OF brains knows that such claim y '1e
baldest hypocrisy. Who eve heard OF bourpoi
Democrat wanting purc elcctionsY Who ever "'"'a
OF the Devil wanting holy waterl In Mlduie ana
West Tennessee where these laws were intchuc 'o''
injuriously 10 affect Republicans, the Democrats 0
had entire control OF the election machno''
twenty years. The plain unaduerated trlI'h - o'''
Tennessee about to become n Republican ''',o'
and these laws were enacted to forestal tha result
Elections have Just been held In the couhucs e,'
braclng Knoxville and Chattanoosa-two connues III
which the Republicans have good majoriiieS but uuer
the workings OF these Infamous election laws uic D.
Ocrats have carried them both. What Is cl,ro" VI.
Dortch law Is operative both In Knoxville ana
Chattanooga The educational qualification necessary
TO enable q voter to vote as he desires u'uo' '
Dortch law is such that not more than three ou' VI
five of the colored people vote. The Sui'c Vi
affairs lust now existing In Tennesses Is exceeoihgiy
dlscouraglng to the loyal people. The Democniuo
party has dominated the State for twenty year.. We
have had ncompctency, profigacy and rasca'y al
mixed up and growing worse and worse thtous" All
these years. To-day have the weakest man rs
our Governor who ever occupied the Gubernaor,ai
chair I'm any state The expenses OF running our
state government have doubled In the last tn years
Our present Governor Is getting perqulsltes 10 "uai-
ton TO his regular salary until the whole amounts
TO three or four times the fixed salary. The same
may be said OF Controller. We are paying 80
600 annually to eight sinccures. called "cOaIoh III
spcctors., We are paying 100000 at every election
for the glorious privilege OF having these DISTINGUISHING
election laws enforced We keeping up Con-
fcdcrae soldiers Home md paying Confederate PEN
soners the tune Of another hundred thousand uorS
per annum. The most reckless extravaganza Is ds
PLAYED In every department Of our state government
We have encouraged people w come to Fast Ten
nessec from the North, and many of them have come
and have invested large amounts OF money In manu-
featuring establishments and other leading enterprises
MANY Others have bought real estate and have built
houses and doing all they can to help to develop
our wonderful In fact, East Tennessee mao
begun to attract the attention OF capitalists In almost
every direction. We were riolced to sec these NAM
festations Of prosperity. We were wont " encourage
these people who had come among us. We were ex
ceedlngy DESTROYS TO have them stay with US, ana 10
have Others come and do likewise. wo wanted to
mako them feel Mt home. We wanted 70 avoid all
hostile legislation. We wanted to encourage freedom
OF thought and speech, and 10 make them reel tlat
they could be the Independent men here tnnt
they had In the States whence they came. VIC
have not been ablo them OF these Cllhes
We cannot hold many OF those already here anu We
connot Induce Others 10 come This Is sad con
fession 10 make bnt II IS a true one Thousands OF
liberal Democrats In tennessee would he glad 10 see
things otherwise. but liberal Democrats do nol rule
I'm Tennessee. The BourbOns have the state by INC
throat They care for nothing but political control. ana
that they intend Ia have. let II cost what II may
They have taxed and doubletaXed every lc;hlhg EN-
terprisc and they seek. 10y the most hostile legisla
ton To drive capital and capitalists out OF the STATE
As general thing. the capitalists who have come TO
East Tennessee Republicans. They are mgh
minded. independent. rs well as Intelligent people
They did not leave their Republicanism behind them
They eXpeot 10 think and vote as they please. They
expect II Republicans In the majority In Tennessee
understand the mean purpose OF these eiecion
laws and they devplse ne spirit that proInft" rleiF
enactment. They know that they are mere leek auv"
catch traps by which the colorcd people are 70 d.
cheated out Of their votes.
Ii IL high rmn that sensible Democrats wcrc vauns
M tp the lnportanc" OF correcting these great WONG
Is II possible that fair minded Fast Ttncssre Demo
cra's think mora Of political supremacy tEh
thsy d. Of tho ropcritv OF our greft state t1ist
Tennessee ought tO bc One 81 the great manufacturing
centres % the United States. II can BE- made ~
IL must in time beome N. To make Il ~ Ne must
%, rid Of Bourbonlsm. We must advocate rrotecuon
b. American Industries. We must encourage mann
featuring enterprises In every Legitimate" way we
mus encourage capitalists 20 com" here with hcir
money. and must treat hhcm night when they do
restrictions up-r the ballot. "" must send lournn
Ism tho rear and invite liberal and progressive men
20 TIE front. EAST TF.NNEssoEfAAN
Greonevillc Tenn. Aug 6. 500.