The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-06

could not always control the other Popu.
lists. That scheme failed because it was
early exposed, and then the Pritchard
ties, Russelltes and Skinnerites got vy
scheme that for opening doors to fraud
is worse than any election law that MISS
sippi or Rhode Island ever invented
1T was very bad-indeed, it was in.
famous"
The present law, which the Republicans
declare they will incorporate, without
crossing Il st. or dotting an 81" provides
that the entire election machinery of q
county shall be put in the hands of the
Superior Court Clerk, Register of Deeds
Commissioners. The Republicans and
populists control these officers i'll nearly
every county in the State, and in every
county in the uegro belt. The law was
passed to get rid of Democratic superyi-
sion and oversight in the big negro coun-
ties where it is proposed to steal all the
votes in sight. The Republicans in pass
ing it presumed that the Populist county
officials elected under fusion would act
with them, and with that faith they pro.
posed to hold this election law over the
heads of the other Populists and say;
Unless you fuse on our terms, we will
pack the election boards and utterly de
stroy YOU" This threat is now being
used, with what effect we shall see later
ON.
This is not all of the bad features in
the present election law that the Re
publican party will incorporate into the
constitution if it wins. The new Jaw
makes secret and independent voting I'll
most impossible. 1t is often the case
that Il man desires to vote without hay.
ing his neighbor know about it. He
ought to have this right. This is denied
him because an official ballot is pre-
scribed. The object of this was primarily
to expose any negro who voted any other
than the Republican ticket so that ht
could be ostracized by his race and thus
deferred from further independence. Ii
goes further and makes it misdemeanol
for anyone, not only to vote but to have
in his possession, n ticket with the pavty
device upon it, with the name of any per
son printed on it whose name has not
been filed with the Secretary of State
rs the candidate of the party adopting
that device. Heretofore if Il man desired
to paste the name of candidate on his
ticket i'll place of his party nominee he
could do So but now, while he may write
the name. he cannot use a printed slip.
Why not? Because the negro is not tC
be allowed to vote any ticket except
such as his political bosses fix up for him.
1t is to make it practically impossible for
an illiterate voter to exercise his right
to vote for whom he pleases and to com.
pei him to vote the full party ticket that
this stringent provision has been incor
porated into the new law. With these
and other like provisions, introduced for
fraud, and the entire election machinery
In most of the counties in the hands of a
set of INSCRIPTIONS office holders who
will use it to secure their own election
we repeat that the law the Republicans
declare they intend to incorporate into
the constitution is 'the most infamous
and transparency dishonest election law
that ever crossed the threshold of IN
American Legislature"
Even if the charges against Democrats
were true, the Caucasian's article shows
that the Populist and Republican parties
are as far apart on their ideas of a prop
or election LAW as the two parties are on.
posed ON the money question. There can
ne no honorable cooperation between
TWO parties, one demanding the perpetu
lty of onesided, infamous and dis.
honest election law and the other in favor
of law that allows each party to name
It's own election officer. The last is !,
falr and just election law" The first is
law conceived in sin which will be
executed i'll fraud in November unless
the honest Anglo Saxons rise up in tbei,
might and say with such emphasis as tc
deter the thieves: ''Thus far thou shalt
go and no farther"