The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-01

which had been Democratic for more than
twenty years. Moreover, with the help Of
the Populists. they carried the State ticket
and tho Legislature in North Carolina
against the Democrats for the first time since
the reconstruction era. The most amazing
proof, however, of the effect produced by the
disappearance of the Force bill from politics
was furnished by the fact that the Republic
cans in 1894 returned from the South moro
than twice as many members to the House
Of Representatives rs the Democrats were
able to send from the whole North.
Another twelvcmonth showed still moro
clearly the change in political conditions
wrought by the elimination Of the sectional
issue. Maryland and Kentucky had been
slave States and had infexibly opposed the
party which abolished slavery, so long as
any trace of the slavery issue survived in
Federal election laws. In 1898, on the
other hand, each of these sure Demo-
cratic' States elected n Republican Gov
ernor by q substantial majority Of the heavi-
est vote ever polled. No doubt the general
rejection against the CLEVELAND Admins
~tration. which followed the Hawaiian busi-
ness and the panic Of 1893, contributed to
the political ov~erturninR of these Southern
States. But Mr.. CLARK is unquestionably
right in declaring that this reaction alone
would not have given the Republicans the
victory IL the old slavery issue had enabled
the Democrats to draw the race line rs
| sharply and tightly as before. In both
Maryland and Kentucky last year Republi-
| can Governors were elected only by the help
of many thousands of men who previously
had always voted for Democratic candi-
dates. The reason why Democrats last year
voted according to their convictions on tho
financial question. instead Of standing to-
gether on the race and sectional issues,
which had grown out of slavery, was
that the Federal election laws had been re-
pealed, and a Force bill was no longer
threatened.
So much for the effect Of the elimination
OF the Force bill issue on Southern Demo
Gratis. Mr.. CLARK brings out with equal
clearness the effect upon Republicans. The
first indication Of the changed attitude OF
the Republican party was afforded only a
few weeks after the passage of the repeal
measure, when the Republican Congress
sional Convention in the Fourteenth Mis-
souri, district adopted a platform endorsing
the action of Congress; on this platform
the Republicans carried the district, then
represented by a Democrat. by December,
1894, the drift OF party sentiment to-
ware acquiescence in the repeal, and even
toward a hearty welcome of it. had become
80 strong that n Republican Congressman
from New England, who had himself voted
for the Force bill OF 1890, declared that
there will not be three men in the next
| Congress land l do not believe there will be
one) who will any sooner propose to enact
any kind OF n national election law, than
they would propose to put the national
troops at the points in the South from which
they were removed by President HAVE in
1877" The forecast was justified by the
event. In spite of the overwhelming ma
iority possessed by the Republicans in the
present House Of Representatives, not q sin.
gle voice has been raised in favor OF enact
ing new election avs to take the place
Of those repealed. The issue, thus tacitly
recognized as dead, has been formally bur
led by the action Of the Republican party
this year. Not q convention held in any
one of the forty-ive States for the choice of
delegates to the Republican National Con-
vention at St. Loui said a word in favor of
Federal election laws, while the Texas Re-
publican Convention. composed largely Of
colored delegates, adopted a resolution de-
claring that further legislation on the sub
ject by Congress vas undesirable and I'M
necessary. The National Convention at
St. Louis reflected the feeling which had
pervaded the State gatherings, and abso-
lutely ignored the pledge contained in the
platform of 1892. that 1.-THE party will
never relax its efforts until the integri-
ty of the ballot and the purity OF
elections shall be fully protected in every
State''-a declaration understood to mean
that il the Republicans should ever be sue
cessful a Force bill would be passed.
Finally the Republican candidate for the
Presidency in 1895, Mr.. MCKINLEY, who
was the leader of the House in 1890, when
that body passed the Force bill, put into his
letter Of acceptance a passage which is vir-
tually a recantation of the sectional views
that he used to hold, and the promise that
he will lend no countenance to any attempt
at such legislation in the future.
1t Is now well understood, alike In the
North and in the South, that for the Force
bill there is no resurrection. That is ono
reason why 30 many Southern States are
doubtful in this Presidential election.