New-York tribune., 1895-01-13
TILE TENNESSEE CONSPIRACT.

The pretext for the conspiracy to defraud me
Repubcan Governor OF Tennessee out OF his
election is a general charge that illegal votes
were cast for him. Under the statutes all citi-
zcns between the ages Of twcnty-one and fifty.
unless specially exempted. must produce poll
tax receipts before they can be allowed to vote
The Democrats assert that the law was not COM
plcd with in Republican counties. and that the
tax receipts were not called for at the polling
places. There is no charge of ballotbOx stuffing
or of mlscounting in those counties The only
irregularity which Is made the ground OF unseat-
ing Mr. Evans is neglect to produce poll-tax
receipts
The controversy serves to illustrate Old-tme
Democratic methods Of DISTINGUISHING negro
voters The poll-tax requirement was introduced
in Tennessee, Georgia and other Southern States
because it was assumed that majority OF the
negroes would not pay tax ranging from %
cents to 81 for the privilege OF voting. linen
the production Of the receipt was made an addi-
tional condition of citizenship. because 1t was
taken for granted that negroes paying the poll
tax would either lose their receipts or would De
willing to sell them. Both OF these measures
which were primarily designed for the disfran-
chisement Of the blacks, have become notorious
sources Of corruption, venality and irreguiarlty
in black counties. Candidates and campaign
committees pay the poll taxes and obtain the
receipts which are supplied to voters on Eiec-
tion Day. Whenever the election officers are
disposed to pad out the vote In the interest or
the party in power they allow the same receipt
to be presented by gangs OF voters com
norison of the vote cast In strong Democratic
counties with the records Of po-tax payments
nroves that the ring managers themselves have
beep committing on q large scale the irregu-
laritics for which they hold their opponents re-
sponsible With characteristic audacity they
have deliberately made an issue or class OF
election nformalities with which they are them
selves identified, and have exposed themselves
TO well-founded countercharges or baliotpoA
stuffing and fraudulent counting.
The leaders Of this conspiracy are the oil in
spectors holding lucrative offices, which yield
$4,000 year with only nominal service Inc
men having these offices are the political man
ayers and they desire reappontment IL Gov
ernor Turney be allowed to hold over pending
an investigation, they will secure an additional
term Of office Not only do they want to make
all the money possible out Of politics, but they
also are anxious to suppress all the SCANDALS III
State politics, and some Of these are very bad
In the latter policy they are abetted by the
penitentiary ring. which has entered into con-
tracts for the erection Of building to cost over
81 900. 900, when perhaps 100000 Is available
for II from an appropriation Of $GOO,OOO. The
ringmasters. who are shouting themselves
hoarse over the suppression Of poll-tax receipts
IN East Tennessee and cracking the whip over
the Democratic majority in the Legislature. are
,,oI,t;cianS of the worst class, who tainted
with foul scandals In State AFFAIRS
Honest Democrats throughout the South are
recoiling against the outrage about to be con-
summated in Tennessee. Henry Watterson IN
"The Louisville CourierJournal." Clark Howell
in THE Atlanta Constitution and many other
representative editors are warning the Tennes-
see Democrats that they adopting a policy
which will deepen and widen the lines OF cleav-
age in the Solid South. TwenV-cne Democratic
Journals I'm the State are condcmning the plot
I'm the most Outspoken and fearless way. from
a Republican point Of view. nothing could be
more timely and useful than this campaign OF
outrage. revolution and crime. for 1t Will tend
with destructive force to break up the Democ
racy in the South. Henry Clay Evans Is good
Republican who has won a gallant fight ana
no ought not to be cheated out Of well-earned
victory. But there will be large and adequate
conversations for Republicans II the conspiracy
against him be completely successful.