The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-10-11


opinion. Hill's colossal impudence
and daring, his bravado and defiance
will be severely rebuked. j. is the
last of Hill. With his gong will
follow an era of clean politics. Pub
lie conscience will take the place of
the political "boss." Out of this
condition will grow
HONEST ELECTIONS.
The long immunity from crimes
on the suffrage in the Southern
States illustrates the demoralized
condition of public sentiment and
demands radical measures for its cor
rection. Revolt against machine
rule and bossism means nothing
against dishonest election methods.
THE LOUISIANA REVOLT,
The leaders of the Democratic re-
volt in Louisiana early discovered
their helplessness and hopelessness
of the situation in that State. With
out a fair election and an honest
count their efforts are meaningless.
They begin the fight with demand
for "a fair election and an honest
count and return of the votes cast,
and we expect at the hands of the
Chief Executive of the State TO see
that we have fair representation on
all boards of registration and cleo
ton"
About the same heed will be given
this demand as was given the Popu-
list demand in North Carolina. The
Louisiana situation may not be so
hopeless. The New Orleans Times
Democrat has frequently admitted
the gross nature of the frauds perpe-
trated Oh the suffrage in Louisiana,
and demanded a radical reform in
election methods. In the same num-
Der of the mes-Democrat that con-
tanned the account of the plant rs'
meeting is said editorlally that "the
sugar situation is unpromising, but
1t will not be improved by fraudu-
lent registration, ballot box stuffing
and false counting"
The election frauds in North Car
DINA in 1892 were so gross that no
attempt has been made to deny or
extenuate them. 1t is certain that
it is the intention of the Democratic
managers to resort to the same meth
DDS IN 1894 that were so successfully
employed in 1892. The strength of
the opposition and the great stakes
involved in the election demand it.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT
condemns it. Public morality re-
Dukes it. Public conscience revolts
at it. 1t will not be practiced again
with the same exemption from pun
ishment and retribution that char
acterized the election of two years
ago. Repeated and defiant abuses
have made honest elections an issue
of profound interest and significance
in other States.
A large public meeting of white
Democrats was held in COBB Coun-
ty, Ga, to take action in respect to
securing a fair vote and an honest
count. Speechas were made and res
olutlons passed demanding that re-
peating must stop; that all parties
shall have represen tation on election
boards, and that good order shall be
preserved at the polls. The object
of the meeting was endorsed by the
Atlanta Constitution, which says
that ''our Government rests upon the
ballot, and when it becomes dis
honest ballot our institutions are in
danger of being destroyed" A SIM
liar publec sentiment is visible IN
Florida, where fraud on the suffrage
has reached such proportions that
the Jacksonville Times Z Mon, the
leading Democratic newspapersn the
State, quotes without dissent prom
inent Democrat as saying that sit
would be a recommendation to man
in Florida to charge him with fraud
on the ballot
BEGINNING OF THE END.
1t is eighteen years ago since a
shotgun campaign was systematical-
ly begun in the South against the
black vote. Ex-senator Eustis, who
is now American Minister at Paris,
and Governor McEnery, who is now
Judge in Louisiana, boasted On the
stump few years ago how "Fred