Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-03-20
ST A YEAR IN ADVANCE
The Counting In Scheme.


the first note of the overture to the GU
bernatorial contest the sound thereof
was so long and far reaching that it
recalled Chairman Carroll from his re.
treat on the gulf coast to the deserted
battlefield, and inspired all the lesser
member of the pap sucker orchestra
with a renewed capacity for noise max
ing.
Out of the hubbub soon came the
theme of fraud-open, glaring fraud,
committed by the Evans pc eople. Among
other things it was charged that they
had in certain counties ''got ahead of
the census" as once noted Memphis
politician used to say; they had polled
more votes for Evans than there were
men in the county. The leader of the
soundful band gave out the virtuous
declaration that all fraud, by whom.
soever perpetrated, should be uncover.
ed, if it required the examination of
every vote in the State The cue was
instantly taken by the whole pap
sucker press and Tennesseans were as
sured that a contest was necessary to
vindicate the name of the Safe for jus
tice; that there was no intention of do
ing any wrong to Evans, and that the
investigation which they proposed
would show to the satisfaction of all
reasonable men that Evans plurality
of TAB had been obtained by outrageous
cheating The same song was sung in
the Legislature and il influenced MEM
bers who would have shrunk from out.
right partisan swindling to vote for the
rurney hold over and the investiga-
tion.
The result was that the hold over and
the smelling out bills were passed and
a committee appointed to search for
and expose this awful Republican
cheatery. But by the time everything
was ready the smart managers of the
scheme had become convinced that
they could not make out case on the
lin IS mentioned. So they dropped the
fraud contention and decided to re-
strict the inquiry to the question
whether poll tax receipts had been ex-
hibited at the polls, and to confine the
procedure to counties which had given
pluralities for Evans excluding Turney
counties of similar Importance and
where frauds were alleged to have been
committed by the Turneyites.
BY such ruling only localities likely
to furnish grist to the Turney mill
were included, together with Others
contested by Evans, were a change in the
face of the figures could not injure the
Democratic contestants cause to any
appreciable extent. Counties such as
Lauderiale, where Evans and the Pop.
ulists charged wholesale fraud on the
part of the Democratic officers of elec.
ton, were omitted from the inquiry on
the ground that the charges were sir
revelant, " though Evans had specified
the precincts in question and the ma
ture of wrong doing.
The pap sucker press followed its
mentors promptly and faithfully. The
high moral tone was discharged for
dry insistance on the poll tax receipts
requirement. The fact of the payment
of poll tax by the voter was declared
to be "immaterial, the whole issue de-
pended on the exhi bition of the receipts
at the polls.
This was done because it had been
ascertained that in the some of the
heavy Republican counties the judges
of election had dispensed with this
technical requirement, in cases where
they were satisfied. Democratic and
Republican judges alike, agree that thed
spirit and intent of the law had been
complied with. Doubtless the same
thing was done in number OF heavy
Democratic counties as well, but in
vestigation there was denied or restrict.
: ed to a few unimportant precincts.
Thus the great exposure of fraud wa
whitfield down to the basis of techni-
cality, and this technical observance of
the law was required only when il
would injure Evans, and ignored where
it would injure Turney.
So the bogus investigation has pro-
gressed up to this time. The result has
never been doubtful since the commit.
tee adopted the rules and scope Of
, its work. The mask has been thrown
aside and the job now appears in all its
/ naked deformity.
Honest members of the Legislature
voted for the machines scheme under
the impression that a real uncoverinl
of actual fraud was intended. They
= can not believe in that fiction now. L
. they vote to deny Evans the Office o.
Governor on the finding of the com
g mittee they will vote for barefacet
E steal, and there is no way by which
they can escape the responsibility fo
, their share in the crime.-Memphi
. Scimitar.
v WOuld YOul