The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-03-22

L
The Raleigh News-Obseryer-Chroni-
Gle.
"But as a matter Of fact, a
careful study of the election re-
turns of 1884-8G-S8-92 disclose
the fact, startling as it may seem to
Republicans, that there is even I'M
der the present election laws, com
little fraud at elections
held in this State. Witnesses some
times lie; facts and figures cannot.
Let us 90 to the latter.
Take for instance the second con-
gressional district. That has always
been known as the "black district,
and was composed in 1884 of the
counties of Jones, Craven, LenOir,
Greene, Wilson, Edgecombe, Halifax,
Warren. Vance, Northampton, and
BERTHE.
These counties gave in 1884 the
following vote: York, Rep, 1926;
Scales. DEM, Is, 1872. Total vote,
38,78S.
Comparing these returns with the
voting population of those counties,
as evidenced by the census reports,
we find that a full vote was polled.
1t must be remembered that at that
time the present election laws were
not in force.
From 1884 to 1890 inclusive, emf
grafton agents were busy in that sec
ton of the State, in which the
"black district" was located, Undue
ing negroes to 60 west. Hundreds OF
voters left the State, to such an eX-
tent indeed, as to alarm the planters
of that district, who found it difficult
to obtain the necessary labor for their
cotton fields.
But despite this exodus from the
district, we find that in the coun ties
named above the following vote was
polled in 1888: Harrison, 1868;
Cleveland, 1882. Total vote polled,
32.4SO.
In 1888 the Legislature passed the
present election law. Whilst some
of its provisions are unobjectionable,
It's most unjust and dangerous feat
ure is the power it places in the hands
of an INSCRIPTIONS and partisan reg
istrar to practically refuse to register
ignorant aud unlettered voters. His
decision is absolute, and from it there
is no appeal. He is not even a sworn
officer and it would be difficult to
sustain an indictment against him
for the grossest malfeaSance in office.
But despite the unjust law and the
many distractions thrown in the way
of the ignorant voters of the Repub-
lican party in the second district, We
find that in the counties named above,
the following vote was cast in 1892:
Cleveland. 15,2lS; Harrison, 1O,O93;
Weaver, 5,57i; total vote polled, 49,
964."
In the last sentence of the first
paragraph quoted, Mr.. Ewart says,
.'witnesses sometimes lie, but facts
and figures never" Mr.. Ewart is
wrong. 1t is true facts can not lie,
but figures can and do quite as Otter
as a witness does by word of mouth.
And the figures above for 1892 is a
case in point.
In the first place over thousand
voters were disfranchised under Sim
mons secret circular. But inasmuch
as these votes never got into the bal
lot boxes it is not pertinent to this
point.
In the second place a number Of
townships carried by the Peoples
party were thrown out by the county
returning boards, this is pertinent
but We pass it over. And for argu-
ment's sake we will admit that 49,
964 represents the total vote cast.
Yet the figures lie when they give
the apportionment of the vote, when
they say that Cleveland got 15,24S;
Harrison, 1908; Weaver, 5,514.
Every man in this section of the
State who is we'll informed on the
politics of the 2nd district knows
that Harrison got more votes in 1892
than either Cleveland or Weaver, if
not more than both combined, for
nearly every man who voted for
Weaver voted the Democratic ticket
in 1888; and, besides, he knows that
Weaver got nearer 10000 votes than
5000, in fact is probable that he got
more votes than Cleveland. THE
CAUCASIAN has on file stacks of evil
dence not only from that district and
other eastern districts, but from the
central portion of the State, tending
to prove that votes cast for one cand-
idate were counted for another. This
is where the figures lie. and lead Mr..
Ewart into error.
Besides, Mr.. Ewart deals only with
the Presidential vote. If he will put
himself to the trouble to examine
and compare the election returns of
1892 on the legislative ticket with
the same of former years, he will at