The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-18
WILL THE DEMOCRACY COOPERATE

The EAGLE predicted some time ago
commenting on the outcome of the
Alabama election that we would likely
hear less of that Infamous force bill
from the Peoples party. The Omaha
convention adopted among its resolu-
tions, mot apart of the platform" the
following:
Resolved, That we demand a free
ballot and fair count in all elections
and pledge ourselves to secure it to
every loyal voter without federal inter
ven.ion through the adoption by the
states OF the unperverted Australian or
secret ballot system"
Since that platform was adopted two
| elections have been had at the south
| and two at the north. As usual no COM
| plant is heard about the elections north
but from the south land comes a great
cry Of fraud and intimidation. The
complaint is that the Peoples party can
dldates are defeated not by votes cast
but by votes counted. The state chair
men met few days ago and agreed to
ask for federal supervision, and in
some states United States marshals will
be asked for to insure free ballot and
fair count. Whether this course is in
conformation OF the resolution in the
Omaha platform against federal in
tervention' and in favor 'of the upper
verted Australian OF secret ballot sys-
tenn" has provoked much controversy.
1t seems the term "unperverted' would
never have been used in connection with
reference to ''the Australian, Or secret
ballot system" if it had been previously
tried in the southland. Mr.. Taubeneck.
nationa! chairman of the Peoples party
committee, makes the following terse
statement to the Post Dispatch of st.
Louis:
81 have discussed this matter all I
care to. lam not responsible for what
certain state chairmen have done, nor
do hold myself liable for their future
actions If they know from past expert
ence that we cannot get fair count
without federal Intervention, have they
not the right to ask for United States
mar5hals and federal supervisors to pro-
tect our interests at the pools? By taking
this action it is no violation of platform or !
of our principles or our past promises. |
The resolution which you quote was a |
resolution, and adopted |
III good faith, but it was not intended to |
regulate local fights or prevent our
leaders from securing fair election.
The national committee has taken no
steps to prevent the fraud which it
knows will be perpetrated in the south, |
and If the state committees choose to |
protect the interest of the party by fed
eral supervision, that is none of my
lookout. l tell you one thing, we pro-
pose to have fair count in the south or
we are going to know the reason why.
The state election will be held in Georgia
Din the 4th of October and, while we
should carry that state by 20, 600 major
ty and elect at least ten congressman,
here is probability of losing the state
oy being counted out. What
are we to do? We can
lot afford to sit down and see the earth
moved away from US without making
some kind of a remonstrance, and we do
lot propose to sit idly around and see it
lone, either. The United States govern
nent might as well appoint about SIX
men in several of the southern states to
rave the various Offices filled and cast
he electoral vote without holding an
lection, as quite a number of the states
n the south are controlled by so many
nen anyway. But you will notice
marked change in November, as we
propose to be heard from, and we will
ave our ballots counted Or you will
lear something drop"
This will be the end of the opposition
o the so-called "force bill' by the Peo-
les party. Election supervisors, freed
o far as they may be from partisan
ontrol, acting as kind of election court
o canvass election returns would have
1any advantages over federal Interrupt
ion in the shape of marshals.
Does the local Democracy cooperate
18th this new departure of the Peoples
arty as to the ''force bill?"