The Opelousas courier., 1894-07-28
Fair Elections and Honest Counts.

SATURDAY. JULY IS, 1894
Fair Elections and Honest Counts.
Atlanta Constitution.
We learn from the New Orleans
Times Democrat that the Louisiana
legislature has offered the people an
alecti0n law which is q mockery. Des-
mite the popular demand for ballot
reform in the interest of good govern
ment, peace and order, it charges that
Che legislature has dressed up the old
dishonest system, with a few changes
II phraseology, but nom in its spirit,
and with most of its patent defects per-
petuated. The New Orleans paper thus
discusses the matter:
aThe negro bugbear is brought for
ward to justify fraud. If we have an
honest election, say our legislators. fare
well to democratic government and
white supremacy. This cry will de-
ceiVe no thoughtful person. White rule
does not depend on fraud, and we have
only to look around at our neighbors
Is see that fact demonstrated. 1t
would be a h~umiliating confession il
we had to say that we rule and can rule
only by dishonesty. But, as a matter
of fact, every one knows that this
negro scare is but q subterfuge, which
has been successfully used for years
past.
It is too late to hope for anything
from the legislature, and We must per-
force accept its offer to submit the
question anew to the people. We have
no fear of the result, and we are satis-
fed that those who postponed ballot
reform until 1896, so as to hold one
more election under the present sys-
tenn, which encourages fraud, vii, bs
surprised at the result.
The popular sentiment in favor OF
ballot reform is strong throughout the
state, and will grow stronger. y
"A campaign in favor of honesty, a
d6ght against fraud, always wins when
once begun in earnest. We have sub
mitted to fraudulent elections for
twenty six years, 10 the hope that a
democratic legislature would put an
end to them. That hope we must now
abandon, and the people themselves
must give us ballot reform. All the
ills that Louisiana has suffered, all the
m~isgoyernment that has prevailed. and
Ill the rObberies that have followed.
have been the result of dishonest cleo
ton laws and methods. Our corrupt
System was exposed to the gaze of the
world in 1872, and again in 1876. The
u world will be surprised to learn how
little progress we have made since
them
It must be notifying Ia the people
Of Louisiana to have ti.fae statements
~ 0tst to the world. We are told that
that honest elections will defeat white
democratic rule, and that IA fair express
sion OF the public Voice has been kept
under for tweniy-six Yeas by fraud.
We are furthermore told that the legis-
aAture cannot believe that the people
really desire honest elections, and there
fore submits the question to them
agnin.
This condition of affairs is almost
Incredible, hut the statements of the
Times Democrat are presumably true.
1t ia gratifying to be assured that the
people of Louisiana demand fair cleo
items and honest counts Ii they con
Time tp ask for ballot reform until they
~ 1T they will win q great victory for
honesty and good government.
Fortunately, here in Georgia, our peo-
PIE settled down years ago intO the
conviction that it could not profit any
party To win by the cOrruptiUn or IN
ttutttdtBOD vi VOtCA6s
As a rule, fair elections are popular
throughout the south. and in Georgia
the usual frauds practiced M Indiana,
Illinois, New York aud Connecticut
would not be permitted. The cprrup-
tlnnisfa guilty Of such meIhuds would
br uudtr the ban OF pubic UpliiOn 1T
they received no seveitr punishment.
We hope that the gDOd people OF
Louisiana will succeed ~ convincing
their next legislature thar tnty arc III
earnest about ballat i+f.im Uffrnses
against honest elections should he pun
islled ly II long fern Ut imprisonment.
The penalty should be sever because
this crime affects the rights and inter-
eeta ut millions Of citizens. No greater
political calamity could befall a people
than to be III tho mercy af the q who
arb nDscrupnluus elilngii to defeat the
popular will by either violent or corrupt
means.
An honest ballot aud a fair count
should be insisted upon by the better
classes of every community until they
4 win the fight. We canno. believe that
~ honest policy ID this matter will des-
troy white supremacy or re-establish
sfepnbiican rule in the south. We have
&en abiding confidence i'm the people
When they are treated fairly and justly,
and we believe that under such c0ndi-
Lone intelligence and virtue will win.
SM Ne are mistaken in this conclusion,
HEN universal suffrage ID d failure, and
0ur system Of government should be
kremodeied.
The declaration that only the lottery
press was demanding an honest election
taM was both contemplate and untrue.
~MARhn0FnhRf DMnOen00