The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-06-27

huDIlll TT Df lit NlOtAAAAS Va esis tt1AAN-
vote cast by member of race which
is. even by its virtues, unfit for self
government, and while we propose to
take no step backwards, still we propose
to adopt and we have adopted more
honorable and intellectual methods. by
the poll tax amendment ballot we nave
eliminated from the polls that class OF
irresponsible citizens who are willing to
do nothing even for the education of
their children, but we must carry this
idea a step further and require any
successful candidate to forfeit his office
If it is shown that he has secured it by
paying the poll tax of voters in con
sideration of their support in the
election. The Australian ballot is
long step in the right direction, but it
was an experiment and can be greatly
improved upon. The ignorant voter
should be allowed to express his will by
ballot, but he should not be allowed to
express in this way the will of some
person other than himself Where his
will and his knowledge stop his right to
vote should stop. Particularly, one
white man should not be allowed to use
the ballot of an ignorant negro to cheat
and defraud another white man. Ii the
Legislature will second my efforts | will
see that the white race shall be allowed
to dominate and control this State and
every part of it, but | am determined
to have clean elections as far as it shall
lie in my power to accomplish that result.
The Legislature has the power to main
tain white supremacy and to do it by
honest elections. So far as | am con-
cerned, [ will have nothing unless l
can have purity in elections.
The citizen should not only have the
right to cast his ballot fairly, but he
should have the right to know that it
is fairly counted Too much latitude
should not be given to the presumption
that officers will discharge their duties
honestly. In elections we know that
this presumption is somestimes an ex-
ceedingly false one. The ballots should
be counted in the presence of the voters.
Too much Importance cannot be
attached to this matter of elections. 1t
is second only to the financial question,
even if it be second to that. The two
might we'll be considered as co equal in
importance at this time, because the
relief from financial oppression must
come through the ballot. In the recent
contest between the silver and the gold
forces in Alabama we read in the news
papers that the gold men depended for
their vote upon the great Democratic
stronghold, the counties which polled a
heavy, solid Democratic vote, and these
counties, as we learn in the dispatches,
were in the black belt where there was
an enormous number of negroes and
only few white men. We do not want
any Democratic strongholds of that
kind. We want every white man to
have the benefit of the full strength and
advantage to which his vote entities
him, and we want to relieve him Of the
sitting effects of negro supremacy, but
we are not willing to allow one white
man to arm himself with dozen negro
ballots for the purpose of defeating and
defrauding other white men. By wise
and judieious amendments our present
laws can be made to insure perfectly
free and fair elections, and this should
be done as we'll for the protection of our
rights and liberties as for the good name
of our State.
Every individual and corporation in
this State should have the full benefit
of equal and exact justice in the
administration of the laws, but neither
should have the power to disregard the
laws or assume superiority to them.
Railroads are public highways. They
have many valuable rights and fran
chises accorded to them by the State
They should not exact or extort unjust
or unreasonable dues from the people,
or discriminate in any manner against
them, and such matters should not
be left to their option, but should
be enforced by adequate means. l
shall, therefore, recommend that a
temporary railroad commission be pro-
vided for by the Legislature with such
powers as may be permitted by the
present State constitution, and | shall
further recommend that an amendment
to the constitution be submitted to the
people, making it obligatory upon the
General Assembly to create a
permanent railroad commission, with
full powers to make all necessary orders
for the regulation and control of rail
roads and to enforce such orders by
adequate pains and penalties.
Whatever else may add to the national
interests of the State and bring her to
the front rank in this union of states,
where she justly belongs, shall feel it
my duty to recommend and to urge.
Gentlemen of the convention, again
thank you for the distinguished honor
you have conferred upon me, and |
sincerely trust that | shall never give
you cause to regret it,