New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-17
MOTHER OBJECT LESSON.

ANOTHER OBJECT LESSON.
If was on the OH of October last that the
Hon. Ashbcl =. Fitch closed the debate in favor
of the repeal of the Federal Election laws lic
said it was peculiarly fitting that the last
argument for repeal should he made by REPRE-
sentative from the city Of Ncw-l0rk, because
in that city their enforcement and operation
was most conspicuous. and II Is on account
mainly of the public Indignation over inc IT,
suits Of these laws in that city mat 'hey arc
about To be repealed" Continuing, he s;iid mat
one reason for the enactment of these laws WAS
the prejudice of Republicans In the rurli COM
mupities against the Democratic city or New
York" These rural communities had come 10
believe that the great mass OF the p"puEi-
ton of that city was made up OF wicked ana
designing persons. without principle OF pa'rio''
ism, who in their corrupt desire 10 OVcri7lic
the wishes Of the respectable voters In the conn
try habiturly committed frauds at clectiohs
which resulted I'm enormous Democratic MAORI
ties" II WAS because of this unfounded prcju-
dice. according 10 Mr. Fitch. that congress
enacted the laws which provide for the super
vision Of registration and the polls by Officers
of the United States Court whenever Federal
officers are to be elected. And IL was because
there was no ground for any such imputation
unon the honor and honesty OF the election ON
Gals that Mr. Fitch insisted upon repeal ii was
an insult and an outrage upon the pure ana up
right PERSONS who give the enormous Demo
cratic majoritcs in this city to set Federal
officers TO watch their registration ana voting.
The repeal bill went through the House with a
rush on party vote.
Since then there has been an election III TINS
city and State Mr. Fitch. having been ordered
home to run for a municipal Office by the pri'
yote citizen who leads, owns and controls the
Democratic party in the city. had Il personal
interest in the result, and must have been aware
Of the manner in which the registration was
made and the election conducted IL was an
object lesson 1t may not be that he learned
ANYTHING from IT, or that he knows any more
today about the methods Of his party than he
did on the 9th of October. when he made his
closing argument for repeal. Other people have
learned something, whether he has or not In
the light OF what happened at this election at
the polling places In this city and Brooklyn, ut
Graycsend on Staten Island In Albany Troy,
Buffalo and in fact wherever the members OF
Mr.. Fitchs party had control OF the registration
lists and ballot.boxcs. we should like 10 know
whether IL he had that speech 10 make over
again he would make il in just tho same way.
Would he have the assurance 10 say That The
belief of The rural communities that the enor-
nous Democratic majoritics in this city are
largely fraudulent Is founded on prejudice? Or
10 ask for the repeal Of the Federal Election
laws because The elections can be- more hon
esly and fairly conducted without Federal
supervision!
On the whole il was piece Of good luck on
the part Of Mr.. Fitch that he made that speech
before registration began in Dry Dollar >" Sui
livan's district. before John y. McKanc became
famous: before q" Blue Eyed Billy" began i'm
porting voters into Buffalo; before. in short.
the results were known and the methods Of the
! campaign revealed II was n very pretty piece
Of rhetoric ut the time, but events have made
| bad holes In 1t.