The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-03-01
A Revolving Spectacle.

mon and shameless in Johnson City as
to shock the nebler and purer respect
and patriotic appreciation of suffrage
The elections are getting 10 be stencil
in the nostrils of every true, liberty
loving citizen who is wort to exercise
the right OF franchise from higher
motive than Doodle and booty. We
have reached deplorable state OF af-
fairs. No man can hope to be elected,
no matter how good he may be, unless
he closes his eyes to this shameas de-
bssing of citizenship and allows his
supporters to buy certificates enough
to elect him
This is true of both parties, to a
more or less extent, but, when it comes
to brazen, INSCRIPTIONS disiranchise-
ment OF free men and the audacious
detention of their certificates in the
hands Of slum politicians, the Repub-
llcan party, thank God, has a decided
cinch.
Every colored voter is marched up
to the registration books by bench
man Of the ring boss who receives the
poor 7t4ye's certificate, undehled by
even he touch Of his shackled hands.
This certificate is securely locked ia
the sale Of the bose, and the poor man
is NOT even allowed" to take it out on
the streets and sell it to the highest
bidder He has not even the freedom
Of = rogue, vino can sell his booty
where he pleases This is protection.
The colured mans certificate is not AL.
lowed to meet competition in the free
markets On election day bis certifi-
cate, poll-tax receipt and ticket are
placed in his hand. His arm belongs
to little scavenger OF the boss who
thrusts 1t into the ballot.box. He has
voted. Voted straight. Aud the poor
negro paliates his outraged manhood
by exclaiming, on the slightest provo
cation, that he voted straight.
This is the way the Republican bosses
OF Johnson City buy the certificates OF
the enslaved negro. If it is right to
sell q certificate it is wrong to steal it.
The negro is becoming enlightened.
He was a mighty long time tumbling
to the racket, but, when he tumbles, he
thumbles sho' huff. He is demanding
his certificate and beginning to feel
his own ability to take care OF it. The
white Republican can deposit his
certificate with the henchman for a
blind, but the negro is not gwine to
follow salt no mo-. He would rather
ne ruled by money than force.
This is the terrible condition of our
politics. Who is to blame? He who
buys vote, or he who sells il? Six
Of one aud half dozen of the other.
There is scarcely a to,s-up difference.
The way to stop men from selling their
votes is to stop buying them. This
seems to be impossible, where the ma
jorities are small and both parties are
anxious 10 gain the ascendancy. But
a great deal of this brazen, open-faced
bidding for votes can and should be
stopped. Don't make it respectable
If it is not stopped it will drive all
lovers OF good and honest government
to disgust and voluntary disfranchise'
ment. Both parties ought to discoun-
tenance this boastful attitude, on the
part Of certain gentlemen who have
held responsible positions of honor
and trust, who are now engaged in
putting the campaign fund where it
will do the most good.
The Honorable" representative OF
Washington county in the lower house
of the general assembly is now en-
gagged by the little boss to put the
pressure on week-kneed Democrats
His duty is we'll performed. 1t is just
the "Honorable's" size. There ia
nothing perfunctory about the "Hon-
orable" when he goes to scoop a GER
tifcate. He is snugly perched on the
top round of his ambition when he
grins and thrusts the certificate Of
some so-called Democrat in the face oil
some worthy member of that party
with the boast that he will soon own