New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-26

SEATS HELD IN TIE PRESENT HOUSE BY FRAUD
NAY BE LOST BY REASON OF FEDERAL
sUPERvIsIoN-A REVIEW OF THE sITUA-
TON IN THE NINE DISTRICTS.
fFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUNE.]
Birmingham, Ala, Sept. 25.-In previous let
ter l endeavored to describe the general pontlcal
situation in Alabama, and to explain the cohol-
tions which at present seem TO promise the sue
cess of the Fusion electoral ticket put In the heo
here last week by the various elements opposed
to the regular Democracy. In that letter the
chances of the jcint electoral ticket alone were
considered But the Fusion movement in Alabama
is not limited solely TO Struggle for the States
eleven electoral votes. IL involves also con-
test for the nine seats in the House of Repre-
sentatives to which Alabama is entitled under
the new apportionment, the possession of which Is
almost as indispensable to continued Democratic
control Of the popular branch OF Congress as the
capture of the States eleven electoral votes Is 10
the success of the Democratic candidate for tho
Presidency.
A gain Of four or five Congressman this fall
is therefore much a part of the programme OF
The anti Democratic managers as the triumph OF
the anti Cleveland electoral ticket Nor Is the
expectation Of returning a divided delegation to
the next Congress al all unreasonable, provided
the Fusion leaders can maintain in November the
strength shown by the Kob Democracy in August,
and at the same time prevent, even partially ana
imperfectly, repetition of the gross frauds in
the Black Belt counties, by which alone Captain
Kolb and his followers were robbed of the fruits
of their successful canvass. victory for the
anti-Democratic electoral ticket through the eni-
cient enforcement of the Federal Election laws
would involve the loss to the Democracy OF not
less than seven Of the nine Congress districts.
But even on a moderate and conservative estl-
mate conccding the defeat of the electoral
ticket by 0000 or IL 900, the plurality returned
for Governor Jones in August, there will be at least
three Congress districts in which the defeat OF the
present Democratic candidates seems now only
matter of intelligent and energetic campaign
management This will be the first election for
Representatives under the Federal Apportlonmnt
Of 1891, Alabama's delegation to Congress being
increased from eight 10 nine as result OF the
census of 1890 new division of the State by
the LEGISLATURE was made necessary, and the pres
ent districts were accordingly created little over
a year ago Under the appordonment follow
ing the census of $50 the Democratic managers
had sought to arrange the districts 50 that the
heavy negro vote of the Black Belt should be
largely concentrated in the old Nth, the rest Of
the districts having a safe preponderancc OIL
white voters within their limits. After the
Montgomery method of manipulating the vote IN
the negro counties was introduced and each Black
Belt county became ostensibly Democratic strong
hold, the necessity for such partition of the
State disappeared entirely.
In the recent apportionnent contrary system
Of division was adopted. The Montgomery lead
ers true to their general policy of centrng all po-
litcal power IN the State in the hands OF the few
white voters of the Black Belt, sought to attach
f1xa nf
tricte, depending on the dsproportionate delegate
strength Of the negro portions of the districts to
keep all Congressional nominations easily within
their own control The extreme northern SEQ
ton of the State could not by any possibility be
brought within the scheme of dovctalling In
vented at Montgomery so the northern counties
were grouped into two districts, exclusively
white, each running east and west from the Oeor-
gia TO the Mississippi border. The other seven
districts were laid out in an irregular and fam
tastic fashion SO as TO radiate in a rough way
from the heart OF the Black Belt-sOmewherc
near the city of Mont somery This new division
sulfices admirably TO equalize Congressional ma
jorities under the system of counting practically
all votes cast i'll negro counties as Democratic.
II has the disadvantage, however, of leaving
scarcely single candidate safe plurality in case
effective Federal supervision or unusual local op
10 meet the plan adopted for the new appor
tionment it WIS found necessary TO make few or
no changes in the first three districts those
stretching across the southernmOst section OF the
State In the Is the Mobile District, there was al
ready one Black Belt county, Marengo, and It's
vote was reinforced by that of Mobile County,
naturally strongly Democratic; 50 the bounda-
Iies were left unaltered, though the populatlon'
fell some &c, 900 below the district ratio. Rich
ard NJ Clark. of Mobile, lis the sitting member
from this district, and will stand for reelection
His success seems more than probable. Inc fu-
sion candidate against him Is Dr. W. j. Mdsoh' Vi
Monroe County, an active leader III tiie Farmers
Alliance and a staunch Kolb man. Jones carried
the district in August against kolb py 2'Zl n@-
;ority. however. and the prospect of DR.. Mason 8
overcoming this adverse vote is not highly encour
wing The district is propdoly sH6h'S ~
cratic, even with fair count
Wilcox and Montgomery Counties, both III the
Rlacl, Relt. dominate the lid District. The one
gave Jones a fictitious majority of 1880 IN thc
Aupust election; the other gave hIm the even
more extravagant majority OF 6,2Q4. On lair
count of course, both are heavily Rcpup4icah'
and would throw the district 10 the Fusion can
Mda,. The Lake View Park Convention put In
nomination Frank Baltzell, of Montgomery the
editor of the State organ Of the Farmers Aniano''
. The Alliance Herald a man of ability ana ell
.rrv He will make a good canvass HllarS a.
1Isrhsrt of Montgomery, has represented tnis us
a., for many years, but this year he declined
.,o,i,ation The Democratic district CONVEX
,ion has been unable. 90 far to agree on d cahu'-
date TO succeed Mr.. Herbert Af'er many oAiioV'
.nd a deadlock the delegates adjourned ie3cn''y'
10 meet again next month. Inc majority oe
:..a a., Jones over K6ib in this district is o'sZ4,
- L.oiooa bv false counting in WILCOX ana
Montgomery Counties wilcox oounU was s ,o
merly portion Of the old lvth De''o',
.adod last winter to the lid for equaiizauoh