Evening star., 1896-09-22
A r K AN S A s. VO T e
A Comparison of the Vote by Counties With
Previous Votes.
Claim That This Shows q Decrease
in the Extent of the Free
Silver Idea. :

The Philadelphia Press makes a COM
parison Of the vote of Arkansas by coun-
ties In the recent election with previous
votes. and draws the deduction that the
result shows that Arkansas, instead Of be-
Ing an example Of the extent Of
the free silver idea in the south and west,
really demonstrates a decided decrease.
This, too, In spite of the fact that the re-
publican vote, as claimed by the Press,
was suppressed to a large extent. In an
editorial reference to the tables the Press
says:
IF the white voters in this state, all
farmers, increase the republican vote over
1892 and 1894 in a state when there was
no chance of winning, is not the republican
vote certain to be increased in other west
ern states, also farming communities,
where the republicans are in a majority
and can elect something?
III IN Arkansas, and in the white coun-
Ties OF Arkansas, the republican vote rises
over 1892 on the Issue Of the existing gold
standard as against free silver, what state
won't 1t rise in? If in such q state one
third can b" added to the republican vote
IN 1894, without a canvass, what can't be
dcne with canvass in western states?
" ermont and Maine were magnificent
republican triumpfs; but they We're in the
east. Arkansas is both western and south
ern. Unlike Alabama, 1t voted after the
issue between the standards had been
There were twenty-five counties wherein
the democratic officials refused to allow the
republicans to name fitting representative
on the election boards and in these coun-
ties the Press claims the fraudulent prac-
tices were most extreme. The tables show
that the gains made by the republicans
were obtained in the white counties while
the losses attributed to the republican vote
occurred in these so-called fraudulent coun-
ties, where the negro vote was heaviest
and where republican losses would not be
expected. The Press contends that such
an extreme variation Of the republican vote
In the 'fraud' counties from that in the
rest Of the state cannot be explained by
local conditions, except SO far as the col
ored voters were more easily awed by the
Would-be suppressors Of the franchise and
offered little resistance to mild coercion
that kept them away from the polls or to
the more common and less emba
process Of counting out after their ballots
were cast.
Had the fraud" counties been allowed to
cast their ballots unmolested, and to have
them counted honestly, 1t would have add
ed, says the Press, nearly $500 votes to
the republican total in the state, assuming
that the per cent Of increased vote over
1892 held the same as in the other counties
The Press continues:
1T is worth while to put side by side the
comparative vote in 1892 and 1896 of the
nine black counties and the nine white
counties. Here are the figures:
Republican. lean psmocratic
1892. 1896 1Dp2. 1896
Nine colored. 5.216 2.715 9.319 9,114
Nine white...... 5,543 6,536 1896 II 1,52l
THE deductions from this are most in
teresting. From 1892 to 1896 the republican
vote In nine colored counties fell Al per
cent, while the democratic decreased only
% per cent. On the other hand, the re-
publican vote in the nine white counties
increased nearly 1S per cent, while the
democrats added only 1.3 per cent to their
vote.
NO more damaging evidence of the fail
ure of the silver advocates to hoodwink the
farming population can perhaps be cited -
A summary of the returns, compiled by the
Press. shows: Gain in republican vote 1S9.
to 1896 per cent; gain in democratic vote
1892 to 1896. l per cent; loss In populist
vote 1892 to 1896, "a per cent; republican
loss in twenty-five fraud counties, IS pei
cent; republican gain in fifty-three otter
counties. 10 per cent: democratic loss in
twenty-five fraud counties, O.4 per cent
democratic gain in fifty-three other coun.
ties, IL per cent; republican loss in nine
typical colored counties, 47 per cent; re-
publican gain in nine typical white counties
Is per cent; democratic loss in the same
| nine colored counties, % PEI cent; demo.
cratic gain in the same nine white counties
1.3 per cent.