The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-10-18

Are those VINO hold the election
machinery preparing 70 give the
people an opportunity 10 express
their will, W give the facts and
ash every MAJ VINO Is honest 10 say
what it means. Any election law
that is Jast will pr. vide for each
party 10 have competent men 10 rep
resent it d. Judges Of the election
where the votes are being cast aud
counted.
This was no doubt the oblact Of the
present election law, but it is so
carelesslg worded that the commits
siOners if they are not honest men
can violate the spirit Of the law and
escape punishment.
IL many counties the majority, at
least, Of the county commissioners
are not just and upright men. We
would not make such grave charge
against them if they had not con
yiCted themselves Of their own acts.
The Law says that the county COM
missiyLrrs stall appoint men for
Judges Of the election H. represent
the opposing parties on the day Of
the election. The law should have
gone further and required that the
commissioners should appoint men
from each party who We're recon-
mended by such party, or at least
satisfactory to them. And by all
means the law should have required
that the commissioners should APP
point for such important positions
the best men i'll the opposing parties,
men noted for their integrity and
intelligence.
1t may be that the person who
wrote the law and the legislature
that enacted the law took it for
granted that men who held the high
and important positions Of commits
sioner8 in each county would he men
Of enough character and honesty
that they would do this as a matter
of course. But it has proven to be
fatal blundcr.
What are the facts They are
cold facts, they are ugly facts, but
HE CAUCASIAN will publish them
When the commissioners met to
appoint Judges of the election the
officers OF the Democratic party APP
pearcd and recommended the men
TO represent the Democratic party
as judges of the election. These
were appointed. The officers of the
Peoples parry appeared and recon-
mended the names of men who would
be satisfactory to the Peoples party
Did the commissioners appoint these
men? Ne.
Who did they appoint: They APP
pointed for the opposing party, not
the men selected and recommended bv
that party, but the men selected by
the officers of the Democratic party. !
Can you conceive Of any thing
more unfair than this: The Dem
Ocratic machine allowed them not
only to select the men to represent
them as judges, but also allowed
them to select the men to represent
the opposing party. TO say this is
outrageously wrong lis to put it mild. |
But who did the Democratic ma
chine select to represent the Peoples !
party? Did they select the best men
III the Peoples party for such i'm
portant places? No. In nine cases
out Of ten they refused to appoint
any peoples party men at all.
Then who did they select? Did |
they appoint the men selected and
recommended by the Prohibition
party or the Republican party: No.
But IN every precinct where they in
tend to steal they selected either
llllterate men (mOstly colored mem !
or men who cannot be trusted by
their parties to guard the ballot. |
Can you believe that this has been
done? We will give you the proof.
Immediately after the commission
erS had appointed judges of the cleo
ton we sent the following blank to
every county in the State:
GoLDSBoRo, N. g., Sept. 20, '94.
To COUNTY CHAIRMAN:
What action did the Commission
erS OF your county take about ap-
pointing Judges of the election?
Please answer the questions below
OH this sheet.
Yours very truly,
MARION BUTLER.
l. When did the commissioners
OF your County appoint Judges of
the Election?
2. Did you appear before them
and apply for representation for the
Peoples party?
3. Did you name two men who
would be satisfactory to the Peo-
pies party for every voting place in
your county?
70 T. Did they appoint the men rec
commended by the tx. Com of the
Peoples party?
5. If not, did they appoint any
Peoples party men:If SO, how many?
3. What Is the character of these
men?
z. Have We got as much as one
man on the board of judges of the
election at every voting place in
your county?
8. Did they appoint any Republic
can Judges
9. If so, were they the men rec
by the Executive sof that
party?
10. What is the character of the
Republicans appointed?
II. Did they appoint any white
men or colored men who cannot read I
and who are otherwise incompent?
If so, how many of each?
10 Name tho