The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-10
SUFFRAGE IN ALABAMA.
Leader Of the Southern Ballots Rights
League Tells the story.


Leader Of the Southern Ballots Rights
League Tells the story.
| Philadelphia Press.
In conversation Mr.. Manning is forcfble
and logical when discussing his mission.
| This fact, his display OF fervor and eArp-
estness, has won for him among oppose
ton newspapers OF his native State the
soubr:quet OF THE Clay County EvangeI"
In some respects the sobriquet is worthily
bestowed The evangelistic labors OF AR.
| Manning have brought MIN into personal
contact with every man Of brains and in
telligence in the South whose love OF q
common country and the onward progress
OF the Southern States have arisen in their
minds above purely party zeal and par
tisan success. The league knows no Do
litical party. no partisan creed. ANY man,
be he Democrat. Populist or Republican.
can affiliate with the organization. provided
he agrees to work for the establishment
of a free ballot. a fair count and for the
industrial and commercial welfare OF the
South.
And the league is doing a wonderfully
practical work. Some months ago Cover
| nor Oates, of Alabama--who was elected
on the face OF the returns, not by the vote
OF the people,came to New York TO ne
! State bonds. Mr.. Manning was IN New
YORK at the time: lie heard OF Governor
denounced the mission OF Governor Oates.
| and warned the moneyed men OF the North
AGAINST having anything 20 do with his
| rule or the Bourbon oligarchy the State OF
Alabama was in dire financial straits and
that some OF it's county officials were de-
Governor Oates read the speech In the
New York daily newspapers and in a few
Judge Randolph, CT Montgomery. was given
$1,000 and told TO leave the State. He
count out Koib and count IN oates OF
course, investigation followed and RAN
dolph was found TO be defar,ter to the
sum OF $1,000 He Is now said 10 be i'm
crime
AS a result OF this expose Mr.. Manning
| was denounced by the Bourbon ring news
! papers OF Alabama as an migrate. a SLAM
derer OF his native State. But this has
on tbs snbees Ss sad
The State of Alabama is to-day practi-
million doarp in heT treasury qfn the truth
l.were fully known. During the last Legis-
lature, of which was member. when I
b tine eGrr r ea the tine
| Legislature made all sorts OF staggering
u Of making gen me MsS ns
vestigate my statements. tried in every way
have none of it. They dared not investi-
gate.
erners to know that Alabama honestly and
in good faith elected four Republican or
Popns e ps Of sna Senator ns
Strange as IL may seem these men, or
majority Of them. were defeated by a col
ored vote which was never cast; The names
of the Congressman who Will contest the
seats Of the Democratic Bourbon ringstez Is
Aldrich' a. T. Goodwin and W. G. Robin
son. Col. W. s. Reese is the contestant for
Morgan's seat in the United states Senate.
The defeat OF these gentlemen In Ala
bama by the fraudulent colored vote Is only
| a. fresh illustration OF how the Bourbon
at the expense of the best interests of the
South, but TO the detriment OF the North.
which Is compelled to meet this fraudulent
vote with honest ballots"
Alabama has been gerrymandered and
wherever Ii is possible, even By gross
distortion of all political and county lines.
a black belt county has been Included i'm
each congressional district. The object OF
this is that the black belt counties may
It is possible to count fraudulent votes in
white counties. the cheating can he car
ried only to certain limit; in the back
counties the entire black population can be
marked voting. and should the white
counties FOR any reason rebel, the black
ways be d depended upon to- make up the ma
jority. OF course, IL makes no differences
whether the co.ored man votes or not. he
'This last year" continued Mr.. Manning.
I'VE had watchers at every polling place
groes not TO register or vote, and the re-
suit was that out OF 5000 colored men
| Our men kept strict count OF all who voted
our ticket: yet. despite this fact, In the
black counties the fun negro vote was re-
1 corded as having voted the Democratic
| ticket.
This is the basis OF our contest for
seats i'm the House. In the case OF Colonel
Reese, he will claim that the Legislature.
which reelected Morgan United States SEN
ator. was fraudulently chosen, and there
fore Morgan is not the United states SEN
Speaking OF the last election in Ala
the theme returns Of the elections of issi-the ma
chinery being i'm the hands OF the Bourbon
regime. altogether in the black belt coun-
votes and Kob ss.2Ss votes on the face
of the returns, thus giving 10 Oates
majority Of a5s2 Now dednc q. rom on 8a,es
votes In the black belt counties. where no
pSetense of an honest election was held,
to these on return a 7s.ios. and Koib was
elected by majority OF 7,lS-to say moth
Ing Of many instances wherein 100 h9io re re.
taken away from him and placed In the
Oates column.
Mr. Manning. ito give the country
correct view of the conditions that now
! obtain In the South. / want X UNDERSTOOD
that in the past five years the political
| situation OF the South has changed from
| what il was prior thereto There has de-
veloped a new political South There II
| growing. restless and suppressed sentiment
| in the South. You have been in the forest
| and have heard the rurnbling or an ap-
| preaching storm: you have seen the cloud
| rising and have seen large drops Of rain
fall here and there. There Is storm OF
| popular disapproval in the South which VIII
| heaye forth; the clouds are gathering and
| no umbrella Of ballot-box stuffing or OF
| political manipulation will shelter or save
| these Bourbons from it's fury.
These people In the South have come
to realize that Bourbonism as developed
| In Tennessee. and as practiced In Ala
bama has kept emigration and capital away
from these States and from others. Louis
lana. Georgia and Mississippi have felt
| its curse. Until can assure them the
same political rights that obtain IN the
| North we see IL Is foolish 10 expect people
| to come South and help us develop the re-
| sources OF our section. The progressive
| people OF the South are opening their eyes
| TO this view or the situation. For my
| part, i am in favor OF all those IN the
! South who want 10 build II uD and 10 have
q fair vote and honest count coming To-
| gether under this banner, with this issue.
IL we make such contest AT the polls We
| can overthrow the machines In nearly all
| the Southern States. This would mean
| new and prosperous era for the South, for
IL would cause capital and progressive peo-
| pie to come and make their homes among