The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-19
ELECTION FRAUDS IN DIXIE.
A BIG REFORM MEETING TO nE
HELD AT NEW YORK.

The President OF the Southern Hal
lot Rights League at the Back Of
the MoVement-The sympathy ano
Cooperation Of n Number of Rep
rcsenfRtive New Workers Enlisted.
The POpulist Element Cutting "a
Big Figure in IL in the south.
New York. March 1S.-The Tribune to-
morrow win publish a long interview with
j. c. Manning of Montgomery. Ala. pres
ideat of the Southern Ballot Rights
League, which was organized in New Or
leans six weeks ago. MIR. Manning ar
rived in New York two days ago. He is
accompanied by Congressman-elect NJ. w.
Howard. and his purpose is to organize
n mass meeting to be held In Cooper TN
ion. some time in the latter part of the
week President Manning believes thai
The question of fair elections in the
south is just as important to the people
in the north as to the people Of Ala
bama or Georgia. and If public sentiment.
Irrespective OF party, can be aroused, he
believes that through agitation and ma
tional and state legislation, an end may
be put to these frauds"
The Tribune's article continues as fol-
lows: by correspondence and otherwise
President Manning has already enlisted
the sympathy and cooperation of num-
Der of representative New Workers. among
them DR.. Parkhurst John II. Inman, Re-
corder Con, John s. Wise and Gen. Hor-
ace Porter. Mayor Strong has been asked
to preside at the Cooper Union meeting
and number of prominent men of both
parties have consented to make brief ad-
dresses.
Concerning the purpose Of the Cooper
Union melting and the plans of the league.
President Manning to-day said: THE peo-
pie of the north understand IN a general
way that election frauds and ballot box
stuffing have been a characteristic of
southern elections ever since the days Of
reconstruction. But they do not UNDER
stand how vastly conditions have changed
Since 1878 a republican form of govern
ment has not existed In the state of Ala
bama, nor in many other states of the
south. Whatever of excuse may have once
existed has now disappeared and the
crimes against the suffrage to-day are
committed against the intelligence and
best sentiment OF the south.
1--WE have concluded that the rule Of
this olgarghy, of this ancient regime
which has had control of southern poll
tics for nearly twenty years, must come
to an end. A new south has arisen. A
south that is made up of young, progress
sive and wideawake men. The moss
backs, have got to go. They have kept
themselves in office only by the wilest
frauds, and we have come to the conclu-
sion that for the good name and welfare
Of the south, these men must be driven
from power.
THE Southern Ballot Rights League
comprises men of all parties, and Is rep
resentative of the best blood of the south.
Among our vice presidents and on our
executive committee are such men as
Clark Howell editor Of the Atlanta Con-
stitution, o democrat of national repu-
tatlon: w. s. Parkerson Of New Orleans,
likewise a democrat; Senator Pritchard of
North Carolina, a republican, .and SEN
ator-Elect Marion Butler of the same
state a populist Capt II. s. Adams, the
present secretary of state of Louisiana,
and leader of the young democracy; A.
S. Collier of Nashville, Tenn. ex-senator
John II. Reagan of Texas, Con ngressman
II. w Howard, the leader Of the Alabama
populists, and James j. Hines, late can
didate for governor of Georgia. You will
see at a glance that the league is in no
sense a partisan affair; 1t is aimed at no
party and has no selfish motive at heart
THE aim of the league is to investi-
gate and make public the gross election
frauds which still characterize and de-
termlne the elections in most OF the south
ern states, to make contests, to organize
a campaign of agitation, and, through
state and national legislation, to secure
proper election and contest laws, which
are to-day lacking in most of the south
ern states"
Mr. Manning then goes on to tell how the
election frauds are committed, and
adds: What is true Of Alabama Is more
or less true of the whole south. We have
got to get a new regime in Office, new
blood, new brains; got to change the whole
system and the whole spirit of the south
And the first step is to secure free ballot
and fair count. We want the people of
the north to aid us and the people of New
York city. We believe in the end that a
fraudulent vote for a congressman in
Alabama Injuries you in New York just
as 1t does us In the south. We want you to
help us smash this oligarchy by peace
full lawful means, rather than by blood
shed and revolutionary methods. The
newspapers of New York are a tremen-
dous power. If they viii take hold Of
this question and make known these
wrongs to all the country, viii give Us
their aid and your best citizens will do the
same we will quickly attain our object
of restoring republican Institutions and
a. II