Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-13
ELECTION METHODS
Inquiry to Be Made Into Those Of
the South.
TIE POPULIST SENATOR'S INTENTION
The Republican Leaders Welcome
the Discovery.
NOW COLLECTING DATA


Senator Aliens resolution respecting the
late election in Alabama Is the disposition
it discloses on the part Of the populist
Senators to go into the question of election
methods in the south. The republican lead
ers heartily welcome the discovery. 1t Is
part of their program to have the next
Congress enter upon an investigation OF
that subject, and they are assured now or
success for their scheme. For time there
was doubt about the cooperation OF the
Senate. The House, with its two-thirds re-
publican majority, was, of course, certain.
But in the Senate, where 1t was seen the
populists would hold the balance of power,
difficulties presented themselves. Could the
populists be brought to the support Of the
proposition? The resolution Of Mr.. AlleD
is thought to fully answer the question.
and, when the time comes what he asks
in the case of Alabama will be enlarged to
include contentious as to other states.
The Senate Inquiry.
The Senate end of the inquiry is ex-
pected to develop matters Of much inter-
est The contests in the House will likely
be fought out on old regulation lines, with
the usual charges and countercharges Of
fraud and the display of force at the poll
ing booths and the manipulation Of tally
sheets. But in the Senate the inquiry
Will probably go further, and bring INTO
the controversy not only the objectionable
election laws themselves, but the confessed
reasons for their adoption. Past actions OF
tie democracy in Alabama, South Carolina
and Tennessee, taken under those laws,wi
be thoroughly examined, and the plea for
new laws based upon the developments.
The republican charge is direct and COM
prehensive. 1t declares that the southern
states do not enjoy republican form OF
local government, properly so called. 1T
as serts that local election laws are drafted
for the purpose of denying, instead Of pro-
viding, suffrage for a large part OF the
people, and that therefore the people are
not properly represented by those who are
sent to Congress by the operation OF those
laws. This is held to be true of nearly all
OF the southern states. and the remedy
proposed Is that Congress enact national
election law, which shall control elections
where candidates for Congress and candi-
dates for legislatures to be charged with
the election of United States Senators are
voted for. The terms of this measure have
not as yet been agreed upon, and cannot
be until the whole republican case is pre-
sented.
The Populist Position.
But while the populist Senators show a
willingness to promote Investigations OIL IN
dividual cases where fraud is alleged, they
have not as yet declared themselves on the
subject of a general remedy. The fact that
they question the regularity of MIR. Nor
gan's latest commission as Senator, and
held that the recent election in Alabama
vas unfair and ought to be set aside, is
rot accepted as committing them to the
support of a national election law. On the
contrary, it Is even intimated that they are
not inclined to so that far. But the re-
publicans will be well content for the time
to secure the necessary assistance for the
ordering of a general inquiry, insisting, as
they do, that the developments will fully
s, stain the whole scope of their allega-
tions, and arouse SO urgent demand for
reform that national legislation on the SUBJ
ject will be inevitable. Populists, they
and there, will be compelled to yield to
public sentiment and throw their influence
into the scale for ballot reform where bal
lot abuses have heretofore existed.
Collecting Data In the South.
The republican national committee is al
ready forwarding the movement for this
general investigation to the fullest extent
of it's power. Local republican leaders
throughout the south are collecting data
bearing on the question for use in making
out the republican case. This is to be
carefully sifted and arranged by expert
enced men and put into the hands of the
congressional leaders. There is also much
correspondence in progress on the subject
of a remedy. Copies of the more success
full election laws in operation in the east
ern states, with full explanations, are be-
ing distributed throughout the south, and
requests HldGe 1of OpliliOES as 10 Wndt
changes, if any, would be necessary to the
effective application Of such laws down
there The answers SO far received by
prominent republicans here show that the
Saxton law in operation in New York finds
q great deal of favor with southern repub-
licans and that if a national law can be
secured they desire that it shall be drafted
on that line. In North Carolina the popu-
listic-republican combination is even think
ing of enacting such a law without wait
ing for Congress to settle the matter of
national control of the question.