People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-28
Must Have o Division.

The speaker was interrupted by pop
ulist Scott who asked him if he favored
fair elections.
Yes, sir, do. Don't you ? We will
give You manager at every precinct
and beat you $4,000 majority"
We are not so much concerned
about the pretentious claims the
chairman of the democratic execu-
tive committee makes as we are about
the promise which precedes it. How
much his bosstful figures on the
stump differ from those which he and
his co-workers discuss with doubt
and misgiving at their confidential
inner conclaves is best known to
himself. To whichever side the
majority may fall, or$whatever the
size Of that majority shall be, all good
men will acquiesce in it and submit
to it cheerfully if it be the result of a
fair and free expression of the will of
the people, Of a free ballot and an
honest count.
Is the promise of Chairman Clay
that there shall be a division of cleo.
ton managers only platform bum
combo like the closing part of the
same sentence? Did he really mean
what he said when he promised that
ave (the democrats, of whom Mr..
Clay is the executive head) will give
you a manager at every precinct"
1t may well be doubted when his
contemptuous refusal of Mr.. Wat
sons proposition is remembered, and
the action of several county execu-
tive committees who, taking their
cue from the central committee, like
wise refused a division of managers.
That to the question publicly put
to him ''Do you favor fair electionsf"
he should answer ave will give you
manager at every precinct" may
seem somewhat strange. One of the
objections which he gave for not
signing the agreement for a division
of managers was that the committee
had no authority to appoint mana
gers. Has Mr.. Clay suddenly dis
covered that his committee does pos
sess the power, if not to appoint, at
least to signify its desire for such
action which virtually amounts to
the appointment of joint repre-
sentation on the boards of election
managers Has he seen the hand
writing on the wall in the brave
action of Mr.. Harris of Bib; and
/ does he realize that the great body
of honest democrats desire to see
fair play?
Let there be a division of mana.
gers at every precinct. Let every
populist in every precinct controlled
by populists see to it that one of the
managers is democrat who has the
confidence of his party, and let them
accord to every democrat, white and
black, the free and untram meled
right to vote the ticket of his choice.
Let every democrat in the precincts
controlled by the democrats be will
ing to the same fair end just treat
ment of the populists, and this cleo
ton in Georgia, no matter which
party shall receive the majority of
votes, will cement our people in new
and stronger bonds of fraternity
which will heal all division and make
us unit for the great and all-im-
portant national struggle which must
come in '96. A fair division of cleo
ton managers is all the populists ask,
and granted these, if the majority
against them should be $4,000 or
100000, there viii not be murmer
or complaint.
"What will it profit a man if he
gain the whole world and lose his
own soul % What will it profit our
state ii the democratic party should
carry the election aud have to resort
to fraud to do it? Each party is
honestly striving 10 benefit our state
and people. Will fraud do thatr
Will bitter feelings of unjust treat
ment and outraged justice in the hearts
of half of our people do it? Will a
government whose title rests on fraud
command that respect and support
of the people so essential to make it
success? Will the great enter
prlses contemplated for next year be
crowned with glory of unparalleled
success with a divided and mutually
distrustful people?
We must have fair election. The
good men of the state, irrespective
OF party, demand it. The interest