The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-15
Better Election Laws in Demand.

Better Election Laws in Demand.
From all sections of the state there IS
a demand for a general registration law
and a revision of the election laws. There
is no shadow Of doubt that one Of the
crying political evils Of the day. and one
which is demoralzing the people and
making them restless in politics, is the
/ fraud in elections under the current sys-
TEN. Many of those who cry reform
in this matter are often persons who
have profted by frauds in elections and
| who have no idea of working any reform.
/ They do not want reform. They are the
/ last persons who want honest elections,
| and their efforts are directed toward
getting a better hold upon the election
| machinery. That kind Of thing has gone
| on quite long enough. and the people
should take it in hand and stop it.
The constitution Of 1871 left it to the
| legislature 10 provide for the registration
of the voters of the state But nothing
to that end has been done by those whom
the people have sent to the general as
! sembly. That first safeguard to the bal
lot has been neglected.
Under the constitution Of Georgia no one
who has not paid all the taxes due by
him is qualified to vote. The rigid appIi-
cation Of this important provision would
disfranchise many democratic voters;
therefore the law has never been enforced
to any extent
That the system under. which elections
are now held offers opportunities for
sharp practices, and that those oppor-
tunities are taken advantage of in
great many instances. are facts well
known TO everybody having even a su-
perhcial knowledge Of practical politics
in Georgia. The populist leaders, nearly
all of whom are old-time democratic
hacks, know all about the tricks of the
trade. They have been there" and
doubtless the populist successes in sew
eral of the counties in the late election
were brought about through the practice
of things learned in their early teaching.
When the carpet-bag hordes were IN
the state, and when state elections we're
threatened with federal bayonets, there
may have been some excuse for lax cleo
ton laws and sharp practices at cleo
tons. But no such excuse exists now.
The demand of the times is for absolute
honesty and fairness.
1t is to be hoped that the present cry
for state registration law and the Aus
tralian ballot system, or some other sys-
TEN that will provide an honest means of
holding elections, will reach the ears of
a sufficient number of the members of the
legislature to have some effect upon the
situation.
Among the counties of the state there
is not one that feels the necessity for re-
modelled election laws, including a con-
solidation of elections, more than does
Chatham county. Within four months
three elections under state laws are held
here, not counting the primaries. The
first is that for governor and state Off
GERS and members of the general assem-
bly,; the second is the congressional cleo
ton; the third is that for county officers.
And then follows the city election for
mayor and aldermen. These several cleo
tons cost the taxpayers round
sum in money. and have the effect of
disorganzng business for days before
and after the elections
1t may be that the populist party will.
after all, prove not an unmixed evil. II
the populist agitation shall have the effect
of forcing the adoption of a just, equita-
ble' honest registration and election law,
the state will have received a benefit.