New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-17

;husiasm among followers.
Tn. maintenance of the Fusion coalition will
depend not much upon the choice or Senators
and the distribution OF patronage AS upon the re-
form legislation 10 be enacted during the APP
proaching session. The alliance has been formed
for the purpose Of obtaining honest elections re-
forming the present system OF county ana city
government and smashing the Democratic ma
chine For these ends Republicans have carried
the white counties and Populists the black coun-
ties and with a Fusonist majority of seventy in
the Legislature and Democratic Governor pow
erless TO interpose veto. campaign pledges Will
have t. be carried out. Democratic leaders. VINO
attribute this defeat to apathy. hard times five-
cent cotton and discomfort with financial legis-
lation in Washington. are hoping that the Fusion
allies will speedily quarrel among themselves and
that they will introduce radical measures which
will revive the oldsoutcry against negro DONNA
ton.
The present system of elections and local gov
eminent was established in 1877. when the Demo-
Gratis regained control of the state. The Legs
lature elects Justices of the Peace for every
county. These justices appoint five commission
ers FOR every county who levy taxes. regulate
hubble expenditures. elect the school boards ana
name the registrars and pOlholders for every 81 c.
ton district In the State. ii is machine govern
mcnt reduced to system OF extreme siinph'i'''
With a Democratic Legislature 10 elect Justices
of the Peace all the county commissioners, schoo
officials election registrars and poholders were
brought under absolute party control The Mayors
of Wilmington Raleigh and nearly all the cities,
with few exceptions were elected not by popular
vote but indirectly by Boards Of Aldermen; ana
these boards were controlled by gerrymanderihS
devices The original motive Of the election ana
local government laws was determination on
the mart OF the white people 10 render II lmpossi-
BILE for the Republicans to control counties ana
cities where the negro vote was large Inc s!s-
tenn worked perfectly in this respect. and II also
enabled the party in power 10 controi the ""''s
counties where there was no Apprehension ol
negro rule 1t supplied all the conditions requisite
for machine government. \ Democratic political
ring has been controlling party nominations and
governing the State for many years
Now the Fusionists. even IL they desired To
substitute one machine for another. could not ac-
complish their purpose Immediately since Only
one-third Of the Justices OF the Peace eouu oe
elected by the Legislature. County govern
ment and the election machinery would remain In
Democratic hands until another Legislature COLI
trolled by the Fusion vote could dispace the
second third of the justices and thereby appoint
county commissioners Of their own party. Reform
LEGISLATION is necessary on potica, grounds. and
n js fortunate that this is So because the coal-
tion could never survive the jealousies and re-
sentiments which would be caused by an attempt
10 divide the local appointments This legislation
will naturally be in the direction OF nome RUE
and elections of local officials by popular vote
In the white counties there would be no ooJecuoh
10 direct popular election OF commissioners
boards OF education. school trustees ana muhlN-
nal officials but in the black counties TINS sHs-
tenn would bring negroes into Office ana Involve
. recurrence of all the evils Of the reconstruction
neriod Two schemes Of local government are
needed for the interests of public welfare. ana II
will be a most difficult matter 10 arrange the ue-
tails. even if the constitutionality Of measures
which are not uniform in their operation through
out the State can be established
Republican and Popust leaders alike recognize
the ANTIQUITIES of this problem and also the neces-
sitv for providing against negro supremacy ana
miseovsrnment The election OF negro Mayor
IN anv CITY or the control of a single county by
black officeholders would inevitably lead TO the
reopening OF the race question and the return Oh
the Democracy to power. Preciseiy no" 'n'S
problem is to be solved no leader yet understands
but there is a general agreement upon 'he he''9
sity of surrounding popular elections win adr-
ouate safeguards against ignorant ana rrespohsl-
HE offlceholders. This would be utterly iinprac-
tjcahle in the eastern counties, where the "''''e
Republicans are few in number II NE I'pu'iS'
organization were not white man : parry anu
very strong in that section
Election reform is question Of paramount I'M
portance which presents fewer difficulties than
,ocol Government Democratic leaders assert that
elections are honestly conducted and that the
laws are equitable. No impartial observer can
remain in the state many days without satlslE-
,nv himself that there has been systematic iTau'
In the black counties, and that the laws tehd 10
nromote trickery and dishonesty. Tne registrars
In those counties have resored to many devices
for suppressing the negro vote. IL mas Dee" '"V"
business to register the Democratic Vo'e anu
either to keep ont of the way OF negro voter, VI
TO record their names so as to secure inc ieJe '''
Of their ballots technical grounds IN" cree
tion methods nave been tainted WIN lra"u j"
the black counties. One Of the commohssl "e-
vices has been "the bull PEN where the eicc''oh
officers have been screened from observation ana
where negro ballots have gone into empty pockets
and straight Democratic ballots have been taken
In exchange from well-stocked pockets. Another
method has been the multiplication Of ballots and
ballot-boxes with provisions in the law for the re-
lection OF all votes found in the wrong boxes Re
nub,ican polIholders have been ignorant negroes
In the service Of the Democrats. and advantage
has been taken Of every technically for throwing
ont negro ballots as was illustrated few years
ago in Brunswick County, when the en'ire he-
publican vote rejected on account Of pc
cu,iar shade of the white paper OF the ballots
These allegations Of fraud might be regarded as
.,s,e regulation Republican charges. II there
ware not swarms OF Popullst Democrats in the
negro counties 10 corroborate them
What the Fusionists aim 10 accomplish IL the
complete reformation OF election abuses '"eS
will, provide for a new registration before every
election by officers of all parties. They viii have
all the party names printed on one ballot ana VIII
.ubst,tute one box for eight They VIII Abolish
'bull-pens' and order elections to Dc conauc'eu