Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-03
Since the Whites Got Control.


Since the white people got control of
the state, twenty years ago. We have had
law. order and an honest administration
of justice. The colcred people are getting
along better, they realize that the white
democrats are their best friends and while
a majority OF the negroes may be republi-
cans. they refrain from taking active
part in the elections, while a great many
negroes vote with us. l was elected gov
ernor OF this state by a decided majority,
do not believe there were fraunds at the
bailot box. III there were irregularities
they were committed by Kolbites as well
as democrats. The plan adopted by the
republicans OF prominence previous to the
last election was this. that In the black
Gounties wherever the republicans and
kolbites should control the election ma
chinery they would advise the negroes to
register and vote, and that where the
democrats controlled the machinery the
negroes were advised not to register. The
democrats circumvented this plan by
secretly inducing the negroes to register.
and every negro who registered subse-
Quently voted the democratic ticket. The
negro Is great man to combine the exer-
else of the elective franchise with his
financial interests. In some Of the big
black counties, where the white people
were afraid Of a return to negro domi-
nation, 1t Is possible that this fear stimulat-
ed the democrats to procure large demo-
cratic vote. l notice that it is claimed by
Kolb that in some of these counties my
majority was greater than the total num-
Der OF votes cast That is false. 1 have
information from democrats who were
present all the time, and they say the
kolbites were outwitted by the democrats
securing proportion of the negro vote
which the kolbites thought would stay at
home Kolb claims to have affidavits show
Ing that men voted for him whose votes
were not counted. In many cases already
the alleged signers of those affidavits have
nlx xl-A
many precincts where Kolb makes a claim
like this we have the certificates of the
Kolbite managers of the polling places that
the election was fair and honest.
Will Recommend q Contest Law,
TN my first message to the legislature /
shall recommend the passage of a contest
law. fer which there Is such a demand by
the Kolbites, and think II will be passed.
1t cannot in the very nature If things be
retroactive law. however, to 60 back AMI
Investigate, Kolb's election, because tn,
session Of the legislature is limited by the
constitution to fifty days, and 1t will have
adjourned before the investigation could
be made. A contest law would have been
passed by the last legislature IL the Kolb-
ties had not insisted upon its being retro
active. 1 shall recommend q contest law
similar to that which obtains in the cases
of members OF Congress. shall also rec
ommend some changes in the election laws
which will give both parties to an election
a better opportunity to supervise the mark
ing of the votes. There ls one thing in
connection with this question of fraud at
elections with which the public Is not ia
milar. Before the Kolb men adopted their
present political faith they We're nearly all
democrats. AS such they participated in
the old days in every attempt to keep
down the negro vote when negro donina-
ton was feared. They did not call them
selves ballot box thieves, either. Now,
when they want the negro vote, they raise
a great cry about suppressing it,"
Cant Kolb was asked by The Star cor