Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-03-03
HE KNOWS 1T, OF COURSE.

1t is perfectly natural to suppose that
when a second steal of the State was
determined upon, Robert L. was let in
on the ground floor and made thor.
oughly acquainted with the frauds and
robberies of which he and his coterie
of select and special friends were to be
the beneiciaries, and that his knowl-
edge was supplemented by his "unquali.
fed assent thereto. For he is chained
to the gang as the condemned Roman
was to "a body of death" with this diff.
ference, that in his willingness and
eagerness TO serve his masters, he has
sought his present. contact with rot.
ting foulness.
Robert knows that the State is Re.
publican, and q fair and unhindered
expression of the will of the voters
would overwhelm him and the gang of
which he is the ready and alert servi.
tor. Therefore, he wants to take the
voting out of the hands of the people
and do the voting himself through the
understrappers and swashbucklers he
would appoint as election commission
ers In the various counties. This is the
game that the Immaculate Robert and
his masters are playing for. BY this
most vicious and indefensible class leg
islation the officers of the election
would be Democrats from johnson to
Shelby and would be compelled to act
In strict accordance with the iustruc-
tons that would be SEM out by the
ring. 1t would be a web of iniauity
completely covering the State. In Re.
publican counties the Republican vote
would be cut down and in Democratic
strongholds the Democratic vote would
be enlarged to meet the necessities of
the situation. The modus operandi,
by which Bob Taylor was counted in,
would everywhere prevail.
For years the Democrats have been
safeguarding their fatal reign in Ten
nessee by legislation subversiye of free
elections and fair counts, but still the
Republican party has been SO steadily
growing in numbers that it has attain
ed a safe majority, if our elections were
not a farce and a mockery.
Some other experiment must be tried
to prolong the rule of the r~ascals. The
methods by which the last two Demo-
cratic Governors were counted in are
so conspicuous for their unfairness and
brutality and have aroused such a
storm of indignation among the homes +
classes, that another plan, none the
less sinister and vicious, had to be de
vised, and hence the proposition to
subject every ballot box in the State to
the purifying manipulation of the
ring.
For defiant audacity of conception.
uhoOiu anu lnlrln-
sic rottenness this measure has no par
allel in the history of legislation. 1t is
an onslaught, not only on the spirit,
but the form of free government. Its
leading feature is distrust of the peo.
pie. The bill ought to be styled, An
act to make even worse the government
of the worst governed State in the
Union"
This bill deprives the counties of the
privileges of home rule. They can't
control even their own elections. Every
thing must be done by order of the
Governor, and the Governor is at all
times and under all circumstances at
b command OF the ring.
Bob Taylor knows all about it. Of
course he does, and is ready, willing
u eager to act his appointed part.
II this last feather don't break the
camel's back it must be made of the
best Angora steel.