New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-16
SOUTHERN ELECTIONS.

Stephen B. Weeks has sent ont from me
United States Bureau Of Education panphie'
on negro suffrage In the South. III coh'alhS
much information respecting ;he election h"S
of the cotton States, and refers TO the measures
recently enacted in Alabama, Arkansas MiSSis-
sippi. Tennessee and Virginia rs cmbodying the
best elements Of ballot reform. The conclusions
formed are those which would naturally be de-
rived from critical examination or the text Oh
the new statutes without precise knowledge OF
thc conditions under which the laws have been
carried out. For example, his curious comment
upon the Black Belt Of Alabama would never
have been made if the author had been famlllar
with the operation OF the Sayrc law:
I, would seem that reform is already coming in
Alabama under the law. although the cry OF
fraud is raised by the oppositon for the returns OF
late elections show that the Democratic maJorlues
com. no longer from the white bu: from the blacN
counties and 40 we'll recognized has this been that
the counties Of the Black Belt while formerly all
I'm one Congressional district. have now been dis
,ributed among seven OF the nine districts OF the
State This union OF the negroes with the more IN
Auential and Intelligent whites II permanent VIII
profoundly modify the race question. ana II gives
the combination best able to solve this problem.
That would have been very good satire If Mr..
Weeks had taken the pains 10 examine the elec-
ton returns of The fifteen counties constituting
rho Hl,c, Belt Of Alabama and had been i'm
pressed with prmafacic evidence Of balotDoX
siuing Then h. would have understood why
IN. congressional districts were deliberately
gcrrymandcrcd 80 ~ 10 leave a black knot at
thc end II "A string ~ white counties. The elec-
tion returns show on their face that certain
towns I'm each black county had suspicious!
large vote whereas the remaining towns iiad
very small vote The baloboXes were stu1en
with fraudulent votes In certain districts III
,rd.r 4, proyidc fictitious ma joriics ny when
the honest vote ~ the white counties might he
oUs,, Mr. Weeks Is wrong In hi, facts
There v1s no evidence Of the union of me
u.orocs with m, more influential and inteili-
,cnt white, II was simply systcma'ized fraud
49, any one will find ont after studying the cleo
ilon returns in detail.
". do not DENY that The Sayrc law. Ike inc
WALTON law IN virginia. has some merits; but
a.. or. constrained 10 accept the conclusion oil
our s,,nr CORRESPONDENT. who deals exhatstlv"iy
80, ,uotb.r mage with the whole question or
Southern elections. that political trckst"rS III
lntr,1ucing ballot reform in thos" States nave
attached a string 10 IL by which they could
,,sily work il I'm their own way Mr.. Weeks
nroh,bly viii be- surprised - learn that GOV
nrnor oafes If Alabama. has recommended the
r,s.,cn II radical amendments 10 the Alabama
election laws. and that the two leading Demo
cratic Journals ~ Richmond are now engaged
I'm the hottest possible controversy over the
Walton law and the contemplate ,rickrry of Inc
Virsinia machine managers.
one IL the most encouraging signs "f pnnh'
ufe in the South is the moral uprising III many
STATES against election fraud. whether pra'tiS'u
under cover ~ Tie Australian secret ballot, or
without disguise under the old system "f regis
| Iraiion and election \ non-plrtiSan pail"' re-
| form convention was held in Neworl'ahS
Few DAYS ago under the presidency of the Hon
+ G. Manning end Il permanent organization
was Effected with the promise of acilv" work III
every Southern State. II * a movement III me
| interest IL good morals in politics AMI has the
hest intelligence and conscience Of The South De
| hind II.