The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-07-09
Fair Elections and Honest Counts.

We learn from The New Orleans
Times-DemOcrat that the Louisiana
legislature has offered the people an
election law which is Il m0ckcry. Despite
the popular demand for ballot reform in
The interests Of good government, peace
and order, if charges that the Legislature
has dressed up the old dishonest Sys-
tcm with few changes in phraseology,
but none in it's spirit and with most OF
its patent defects perpetuated. Ihe
matter:
The negro bugbear is brought forward 10
justify fraud. If we have an honest elec-
tion say our legislators, farewell to demo-
cratic government and white supremacy.
This cry will deceive no thoughtful person.
White rule does not depend on fraud, ana
we have only to look around at our neigh
bors to see that fact demonstrated. 1t
would be a humilating confession If we had
to say that we rule and can rule only by
dishonesty But, as a matter of fact, every
one knows that this negro scare is but a
subterfuge, which has been successfully
used for years past.
It is to late to hope for anything from
tha Iegislature and we must perforce ac-
cent its offer to submit the question anew
to the people. We have no fear OF the re
suit and we are satisfied that those VINO
POSTPONED ballot reform until 1896, so as TO
hold one more election under the present
system, which encourages fraud, VIII be
surprised at the result.
The popular sentiment in favor of ballot
reform is strong throughout the state, ana
will grow stronger.
A campaign in favor of honesty, flght
against fraud, always wins when once pc
gun in earnest. We nave submitted u
Fraudulent elections for twenty-siX years
in the hope that a democratic legislature
would put an end to them. That nope we
must now abondon and the people them
selves must give us ballot reform. All the
Ills that Louisiana has suffered, all the mis-
government that has prevailed, and all the
robberies that have followed, have been the
result of dishonest election laws and meth
DDS. Our corrupt system was exposed to
the gaze of the world in 1872, and again in
1876. The world will be surprised to learn
how little progress we have made toward
honest elections since then.
1t must be Notifying to the people of
Louisiana to have these statements go
out to the world. We are told that the
legislators Of this great state fear that
honest elections will defeat white dem
ocratic rule, and that Il fair expression
for twenty-six years by fraud. We are
furthermore told that the legislature
cannot believe that the people really de-
sire honest elections, and therefore sub
mits the question to them again.
This condition of affairs is almost
Incredible, but the statements of The
Times-Dem Democrat are presumably true.
1t is gratifying to be assured that the
people of Louisiana demand fair cleo
tons and honest counts. If they will
continue to ask for ballot reform until
thew get it they will win a great victory
for honesty and good government.
Fortunately, here in Georgia, our peo-
ple settled down years ago into the con-
yiction that it could not profit any
party to win by the corruption or in
| timidation of voters
| AS q rule, fair elections are popular
! throughout the south, and in Georgia the
usual frauds practiced in Indiana, Hi
nojs. New York and Connecticut would
not be permitted. The corruptionists
| guilty of such methods would be under
the ban of public opinion if they re-
ceived no severer punishment.
We hope that the good people OF