Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-24
A N OTHER ECTION
Capt. Blacks Proposition in the Tenth
Georgia District
lie VIII Try Conclusions With Tom
Watson Again Next Spring.
Interest In the Contest.

Both the democratic and popuist leaders
have suddenly discovered that the situation
In the tenth Georgia congressional district
Is inevitably to become of national con-
sequence. This is the district in which
Captain Black, the present democratic rep
reSentatiVe, after defeating eX-Represen~
tative Tom Watson. populist, at the polls
on the 9Th instant. proposed to Watson to
try 1t over again before the people early
next spring. Watson charged fraud, and
Captain Black, to meet this, announced his
willingness to surrender the certificate of
election which he would receive merely
for forms sake, and make a second race
for the place. Watson accepted the propo-
sition, and, according to the present under
standing, Captain Black is to resign his
seat as a member-elect Of the next House
early In March, and the new election is to
take place as soon thereafter as the gov
ernor OF Georgia shall decide to call it.
Ihe opinion prevails that a day in May will
be fixed.
In taking this step Captain Black had no
other object In view than to clear his own
oilciaI title and vindicate his constituents.
lie denied all of WatsonS charges, and
declared that his majority at the polls had
been fairly and legitimately obtained, and
he offered the new election as the highest
evidence OF his sincerity in the premises
DCt"SSA e@-A~
Gratis.
But, as the party managers on both sides
now see, the new contest will be OF more
than district wide, or even state wide,
moment 1t will be pitched battle he
tween the democrats and the populists In
a territory where populsm has for some
time fourished and has several times
triumphed, and where the democrats have
been severely arraisned by their opponents,
especially for vasciliating policy as TO
silver. Georgia has always declared for
free silver-a little more clearly at some
times than at others-but thing has come
of it. Free silver has so far not been de-
creed by a democratic Congress, and a
democratic President is known to be un-
alterably opposed to the enactment of any
such law. This has given the populists OF
Georgia their leading cIy, and this, there
is every reason to believe, will be the bur-
den of Watson's complaint when he takes
the stump next spring again.
Watson's Advantage.
The populist leaders reckon upon two
things which they think will insure VIC
tory. The first Is the overwhelming de-
feat of the democracy everywhere else but
in Georgia on the 9th instant. They claim
that had the sentiments of the country at
large at that time been known in the tenth
Georgia district Watson would have been
that many men who were Indifferent then,
or who voted for Black, merely on account
of old-time party affiliations, will come
out next spring and vote for Watson. Then
this second issue Of bonds by the present
administration will. 1t is claimed, cut a
most material hgure In .Watson's favor.
The populists announce that they will point
to that as proof Of their charge that the
connection between Wall street and the
Treasury Department is as close now as
ever it was under republican administra-
ton, and that there is really no differ
cree, as the democracy Is now led, between
that party and the republican party on
the money question. The only honest oppo-
nent of the republican party on the money
question is, the populists assert, the
populist party.
Democratic Managers Confident.
The democratic managers are confident
of Capt Blacks ability to repeat his re-
cent success. Some Of them would not
have advised the course he has pursued.
But now that he has agreed to go back to
his people they will go back with him, and
give him loyal support as Is in their
power to render. Their reliance is on the
latent pride and spirit Of the old guard In
Georgia, which. they assert, can still safe
ly be appealed to.
The republicans. 1t is thought, will help
Watson where they can, and at the same
time keep on the alert for material where
with to strengthen the campaign they are
organizing for national ballot reform.
Watson charges that Black was elected
on the 9th instant by ballot-box stuffing
and the manipulation of the returns. He
points as proof to the large vote counted
for the democracy in counties where the
colored vote is very influential. This vote,
according to Watson, was not thrown for
Black then, and cannot be secured for him
by fair means now. The republicans,
therefore. are preparing to seize this op-
po-tunity to subject the tenth district polls
next spring to as rigid an inspection as
can be established without specific warrant
of law.