The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-24
WHAT THE FUSION ELEC TI0N
LAW DID.

We pointed out yesterday how the
Radical election law worked in North
Carolina. The facts given show that
it was warranted. somehow or other,
to elect Radicals to office even if it
took these changes to do it. The
election that gave the negro the bal
lot. or ratified it. lasted three days,
and the negroes voted every day, and
sometimes more than once in single
day.
More than twenty years passed be-
fore the Radicals had Il chance to try
their hand on another election law.
They determined. if possible, to so
construct it that they could catch the
Offices ''comin' and a-gwine. 1t was
written to make it easy for negro ho
boes, boys and eN-convicts to vote,
and to make successful challenge diff
fcut That was the principle upon
which the law was framed. 1t was
warranted to add ten thousand negro
votes to the normal negro vote, and
in 1886 it came up to the warranty.
1t would have done the same thing
in 1898 if the people had not sworn
that the voting of negro boys, con-
victs and hoboes should stop. And
it stopped-neyer to go again.
We hear much from the Fusionists
about 1.-The dishonest election law
enacted by the Democrats" Let usi
see, taking as an example the prac-
teal operations in Wake county, the
difference between the present and
the Fusion election law.
/. Under the Fusion law, the coun-
ty Board of Elections was composed
of three Fusionists. Under the pres
ent election law it is composed OF
three Democrats.
2. Under the Fusion law there were
three registrars, one Democrat and
two Fusionists. a Fusonist was a.
ways chairman. There was but one reg
istration and Il vas N 'h2 custody
of the chairman, and he could regis
ter in the absence of the others. Even
when the others were present, the
two Fusionists voted together and
always to let every negro possible
vote. Under the present law there
is but one registrar and he is a Demo
crat. The only practical difference
is that the Democrats only pay one
man whereas the Fusionists paid three,
but the chairman controlled.
,. Under the Fusion election law
there were three poll-holders. The
Fusionist took two and gave the
Democrats one, thus giving them
two-thirds to the Democrats one-third
of the board. Under the new law,
the Democrats have one poll-holder
and the opposition party one, thus dl-
viding the poll-holders half and half
whereas the Fusionists took two-thirds
and gave the opposition only one-third.
4. Under the Fusion law, it was
difficult to successfully challenge any
negro who had already been registered
by the Fusion chairman. 1t was
presumption to be rebutted that he
was rightfully registered and every OBJ
stacle was thrown in the way of getting
illegal voters off of the books. In
cities, registration was allowed in the
night on the last Saturday before the
81 20
to challenge those who registered AZ
ter the second Saturday before the
election. Under the new law full OPP
portunity is given to challenge voters
who are illegally registered.
These are some of the differences
between the election laws. When f'us-
ion orators go about the country mis-
representing the new election law, let
them be told that it does not lie Ill
their mouths to criticize it after their
law gave 10000 negroes the ballot
who had no right to vote. In Wake
county, let them be told that the gang
that stole the seat in the Legislature
been elected, to give it to IL negro,
are not worthy to preach of honest
election to any other party.
The Fusionist are very mad because
under the election law their own fav-
orite class of unqualified voters, who
voted early and often under their
law in 1896, are debarred from suf-
frage. The white folks who vote
white, rejoice that no more can these
four classes vote or be voted:
/. Negro boys.
,. Negro convicts.
). Dead negroes.
A. Imported negroes.
1t is "a great loss to the advocates of
Negro Rule and they seek to hide the
true cause of their grief by pre-
tending that the new law will dis
| franchise dishonest voters That is
| the milk in the cocOanut."