The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-25
HOW THEY BEAT THE LAW.
Politicians Demonstrate the Weak
Spot in the McDOnOugh Act.

Politicians Demonstrate the Weak
Spot in the McDOnOugh Act.
Politicians on both sides during the cleo
ton hour were claiming that they had got
half of the colored vote, at least, and from
the appearance of the lines, at the start
the impression might have been easily re-
ceived that their confidence was well
based
1t is probable that there were over 400
negro votes polled ana it is quite probable
that there was no very decided majority
one way or the other. Splitting, even on
the negro vote, as the politicians call 1t, is
about equal to neutralizing that portion
of the vote and leaving it to the white
vote 10 settle the fight. The average Sa-
vannah political leader generally lays him
self out to at least get half the negro vote
and as much more as the lack of vigilance
on the part of his adversary Will permit.
There was much curiosity TO see how
the eminently practical politicians would
beat the McDonough law. Under this
law 1t was supposed by some that these
same politicians would be at their wits
ends to discover some expedient by which
they could handle the well known pur-
ohaseable vote Both sides, by some
strange political telepathy, hit on the
same expedient. One might almost have
thought that the same man suggested the
idea to both sides and they adopted it with
variations. Like most successful tricks
for the beating of an election law, it was
simplicity itself.
'There goes a Myers negro" said one
worker as with some others he watched
a line in front of the court house.
A negro was just passing up the steps
to the box 20 vote.
How do you know he's going to vote
for Myers?" he was asked.
"See his ballot" was the answer.
AS the negro handed up his vote, after
answering the questions put by the mana
gers. it was seen that it was alternately
striped red and white, and at the end there
was a field of blue with stars upon 1t.
The back of the ticket, in other words,
was an American flag. 1t could be seen
fftv feet away without trouble.
Almost before this negro had got away
from the box another one was in his place
"A McDonough negro" said the worker,
as he watched the negro getting ready to
vote.
How do you size up how he's going to
voter"
AS the negro handed up his ticket IL
was seen that it was of blue paper This
ticket. too. could be easily distinguished
afty feet away. To the Initiated there was
no trouble in telling that this negro had
nut in an especial ballot. The McDonough
workers were accordingly able to keep
lust as good track of him and know
whether he voted as they wanted him 90
as the Myers workers were to keep track
of the negro who had preceded him.
During the day there were many blue
hallots and many bollots with flags on tho
back that went into the boxes. Occasion
ally negro would go UP and hand over
a white ballot
Cant tell how that follow voted" was
the way the workers would put IT, These
uere the negroes who voted to suit them
selves. and 1t Is more than probable that,
IKE many of the white voters, they
scratched the tickets and voted from con
,,ictions as 10 the fitness of the candidates.
Nobody now believes that the McDo-
nough law is any more Of success so far
os regards the secrecy Of the ballot and
he inability to handle influenced voters
han any of its predecessors. It's fatal
weakness lies in the fact that II elbows
anv and ali kinds of ballots. II the law
stated that the ballots should be Of plain
white paper and OF certain size the
trouble Of the politicians Would really be-
gin. And even then the Savannah politi.
clans would probably beat the Jaw.