The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-20
ONE HONEST DEMOCRAT.
A WelI-Known Geogia Citizen Tells a
Part of the Story of Corruption
in that State.


as well. The following letter, puollsned
since the election, in the Atlanta Con
stitution, shows something OF the
alarming state of affairs there, and
warns us that we must continue The
fight for honest elections:
Editor COn8titWtiOn:-FOr several
wears I have been a subject of abuse by
the politicians of my district. My
crime has been that I have denounced
political fraud and corruption, regard
less of the party or man that perpe
trated it.
With the silence and seeming indif-
ference of the Democratic press, the
party, manipulated and controlled by
a few men, has gone from bad to worse
until its domination in Georgia is an
absolute disgrace to the civilization of
the State. l said during the campaign
I repeat it nowhere is a mlnla
ture Tammany Hall in every court
house in Georgia. In the name of De-
mocracy they control the people, hoist,
ing themselves into Office with no fit
ness of heart or brain for any trust.
The infamy of the Augusta election
becomes conspicuous by the daring
boIdness of the men who controlled it,
but in a less degree frauds, destructive
of the basic principles Of the govern
ment in almost every county in the
State are perpetrated.
l have lived in Floyd county since
manhood. The business men, farmers,
mechanics, all the rank and file of her
people, are honest and patriotic, and
yet, with all the election machinery in
the hands of a few political heelers
they are as helpless Is a lot of ten
year old school boys.
Ihave largely lost faith in political
platforms, because, as a rule, they are
formulated by politicians who Use
them simply as a lever to Office. l do
believe with all my heart in a free bal
lot and fair count. Everything of any
political value to the American people
depends upon an absolutely pure, ur-
tainted election.
Not then as a partisan, but simply to
demonstrate what I already knew, l
watched the election in Rome. l saw
this: A Populist manager worn in,
and then given a seat at the back of
the court house, 80 feet from the ballot
boxes over which the Democratic man
ayers alone presided and then the farce
began.
There were two ballot boxes, one for
Congressional, one for bond votes. l
I saw an open ticket for W. Fl. FELTON,
handed the managers of the bond box
Instead of handing back to the voter
and directing him to the proper box, it
was quietly deposited in the bond box.
/ had this vote taken out and myself
directed the voter to the proper box.
1 saw as reputable a gentleman as
Mr.. B. F. Camp deposit his ticket for
FELTON, by mistake in the wrong box,
and was denied the privilege of voting
for FELTON, in the proper box.
I saw such men as Green r Dukes
refused the privilege of voting for Eel
ton because he was not registered. 1
then saw such men as John Boggs,
William O'Neal, John T. Patterson and
many others vote for Maddox and with
no protest from the managers.
saw dozens of negro men com to
the polls to vote for FELTON,. I saw
their votes openly purchased for Mad
dox with a % cent ticket to a barbecue
just across the street from the court
house. I saw the keeper of the Floyd
county poor house bring to the polls
his inmates, who had never paid a tax
or had brains enough to register, and
vote them for Maddox with no protest
from the managers.
The majority for John W. Maddox
in Floyd county was 1900, the bulk of
his majority in the district.
I am no Populist. 1 have twice re-
fused their nomination for Congress
when my election was assured, simply
because I could not endorse their de.
msnds.
But they are entitled, as any other
party in Georgia is entitled to, an hon
est election. Tie man who denies it
has not an element of honesty or a
drop of patriotic blood in him.
The danger that confronts the PEG
pie of Georgia from corrupt elections
is not imaginary-it is immensely real.
Ipray God for a spirit of independ-
ence in Georgia that will sweep from
power political mountebanks who have
disgraced the State.
The Constitution has begun the fight