The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-04

WHERE ELECTION Is A FARCE.
The fun returns OF the election bring
out. "a usual. the fact that elections q
the black beIt'' OF the South are farcscai.
that the control OF the machinery for
counting tire votes Ia 50 securely In The
hands of the dominant party tAat II Is
useless for anyone TO take the trouble OF
going 70 the polls. for voting VIII not
affect the result. The seven states which
constitute the solid South the inpres-
nabis breastwoEx for the remnant OK
the Democratic party. are Alabama
Arkansas. Georgia. Louisiana. South
Carolina. Florida ana Afisssssippi. They
collectively have sixfy-one votes In
the electoral college. Altogether, e1-
Guiding the limited number Of votes
cast Tor the Prohibition candidates. which
have not been tabalated. these seven
states. with sixty-one electoral votes and
f0rty-seyen representatives In congress.
cast 7ss.ss5 votes In the last election The
state OF Indiana. with thirteen representa-
tsves IN congress and fsfteen electoral
votes. alone cast So. ss2 votes The state
OF washington cast ss.i52 votes. II has
two representatives and four electoral
votes. Louisiana, with eight electors.
cast 4,i4s votes: South Carolina, with
nine electors. cast. g. i2l votes; Mississippi.
with nine electors. cast ass votes;
Georgia. with thirteen e1sctors, cast but
ifT. III votes.
The Republican vote OF the South has
never been counted as cast since the cleo
ton held In 1876. The votes cast that
year make an interesting comparison with
the votes OF the last presidential election.
In that year the Republican vote In South
Carolina was l.s16. or nearly 70 per cent.
more than the total vote Of that state
this year. Yet south Carolina has heavily
inercs sed in population IN the last twenty
years.
Ia Mississippi ia 1876 the total Repub-
rean vote was s2.e95. yet the state went
overwhelmingly Democratic. The total
vote. Democrats and Republican. this
year was but 81. s03 In 1916 the total Re-
psblican vot. In Louisiana was 7s.iB. The
whole vote Of the state this year Is but
gfi3
II thess facts do not point to dsitb-
crate suppression Of the Republican vote
in the South. carried on 50 long that the
Republicans have ceased TO take the trou-
BILE to east the perfunetory ballots. which
are never recorded. II II impossible TO
state what conclusion can be drawn from
the facts. Voters. although hopelessly In
the minority. will continue 10 cast their
ballots where assured a fair count. Wit
ssss Pennsylvania, where there never mas
been even a shadow Of belief by the most
sanxuins that II could possibly Ia carried
for Bryan. Yet tn Pennsylvania. which
rolled up majority OF over oooo for
Mckinley. there we're 4z7.iz7 Democrats
votes cast. or four-nfths az many as
were cast by the Democrats In the seven
Southern states mentioned. which gave
Bryan sixsy-one electoral votes.
Congressional elections In the South are
equally tarcical TIE tabulated returns for
this year are not at hand, but those OF
two years ago furnish some illustrative
data Private John Alien was elected
20 The present congress from the FRS; dis
trlet Of Mississippi receiving s,as7 votes.
against s4s fer his opponent. The popuia-
ton OF the district IS 1885. Defeated
candidates fer constable IN one precinct
In King county received in the last cleo
tion 20 per cent. more votes than were
necessary 20 elect Democrat 90 congress
down Ia Mississippi. In the Third district
q tho same state. district having a pop
ulation q isa. ~ BY the census. Catohings
was elected % congress the same year,
receiving 1876 vossS. Defeated Repuh-
licaR candidates for The lower house q
TIE legislature 20 Two Districts IN Klns
county received within 80 q as high
vote in tha asst election.
When e IL remembered that /. preslaen-
tisi election may turn-~in fact. n has
fuFusd-apon the essstoraI votes % those
seven states. does Z, not seem "a though
public sentiment should arouse Itself All
over the United States against a ccntin-
uaaes q me conditions ia those states.
where elections are a farce and the voters
Ays tAsFvanchisea by eorce and frauaf