Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-09-04
FRAUDULENT ELECTION LAWS.
Imports and Exports Civil Service.
General TILES Report.
Especial Correspondence.

w ASHlNClONt SCpbs ~
ing Republicans of Virginia, the men
selected by the party to manage It's
state canvasses are almost unanimous
~ of the opinion that it would be
useless to nominate state ticket,
because it would be impossible to Sc
cure a fair election. These gentle
men are several of them natives OF the
state, some of them were distinguish
ed soldiers in the Confederate Army
they believe and have reason to be-
lieve, that majority of the people OF
Virginia would vote for the Republi-
can candidates, and yet they say 1T
is useless to name candidates, they
would be counted out" This is not
only a humiliating but startling
statement Of an existing condition
and it is true.
The election laws of Virginia were
conceived in iniquity and born IN
fraud. They were intended to de-
fraud the Republican candidates OF
the Offices to which they were elected
and in many instances have accom-
plished the purpose. This law was
shown up in the Fifty-fourth Congress
in the contested-election cases OF
Thorp versus Mckinney, from the
Fourth and Yost versus Tucker from
the Ninth Congressional districts.
The methods, and the amounts OF the
fraud were clearly shown, and it was
demonstrated that the law was actual
lv framed to foster just such laws or
methods. Thorp was seated and
Yost would have been but for dis
graceful trade. The Virginia leaders
are right, it would be useless for them
to incur the expense and labor OF a
campaign, merely to be swindled out
of victory if it was won.
The people of the United States are
however interested in this question.
Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi
and Louisiana deliberately prevent a
fair expression of the voters. These
States have 38 Presidential electors,
40 members OF the House of Represen-
tatives and Senators in Congress.
AS for the three last named with 20
electors, 20 Representatives, and 3
Senators, there is not the shadow of
doubt. that the electors, Senators and
representatives, would be all now
and would all have been ever since
the states were readmitted to vote
after the rebellion, Republicans and
vet there is not a Republican from
either of them. And there is very
little doubt as to Virginia, North Car
DINA, Georgia and Alabama. 1t is
about time for action on this subject.
Some days ago'the Japanese Minis
ter filed at the State Department a
long paper which was a protest upon
the part Of his Government against
the annexation of Hawaii by the
United States. Secretary Sherman
has answered this "protest." and the
long letter might be boiled down in
to the above sentence. Sherman
politely tells the Japanese Govern
ment that the United States will not
consult anybody but Hawaii in this
matter and that other nations must
keep their hands Oft.
The annual report of our foreign
commerce shows our exports to be
larger in the last year than ever be-
fore. OF these exports Great Britain
took 40 per cent, or $47S, 488, $50 while
our imports from that country were
$I67947,sao or IS per cent of the
whole imports.
B Germany was next in Importance,
sending $IIo, 2Io, OLA or II per cent OF
our imports and taking from us $I23,-
784453 or PAS per cent OF our eX-
ports.
France comes third in the list with
imports of S6753o, PSI or SIS per cent
and exports OF $5o,S27,63I or 5. per
cent
The Dominion took larger amount
of goods from us S58,465,o48 or 6.3
per cent but sent us a smaller amount
than France that is $40, 800, 387 or 5.4
per cent. The Netherlands took $50,
362, ITO from us and sent SI2, 1874, 1876.
So with Italy, Belgium, Spain and
Denmark our exports largely exceed
our imports and are made up almost
exclusively OF food products. Swift
zerland and Austria Hungary sell us
much more than we sell them, so do
Brazil, China and Japan from which
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