The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-06-07
SENATOR BLACKBURN FOR HONEsT
ELECTION1-

In the last issue of THE CAUCA-
SIAN we published an extract from
an address to the Democrats of
Kentucky by Senator Blackburn
under date OF May 23rd. In this
address Senator blackburn not on
ly declared for the repeal OF the Go
bel election law, but for the enact
ment OF a law instead that would
be perfectly fair and honest 70 all
voters and parties. Senator Black
burn went further and pointed out
the kind OF Election Law that 1t
was necessary to pass to ensure
honest elections. He declared that
every political party ought to have
representation OF their own choos-
ing on all Election Boards. He de-
clared that this was fair and Just,
that 1t was the essence Of an honest
| Election Law, and that no one
could oppose 1t and claim to be In
favor Of honest elections. The ex-
tract which we copied has attract
ed wide attention and caused great
demand for copies of the paper con-
| tanning it. Inasmuch as there liz
such wide public interest in these
utterances OF Senator Blackburn we
will make some further extracts
from his address.
We quote the following
"The Dem cratic party is not
afraid to trust the people. Nor
does 1t believe that it must retain
It's ascendency and power except by
the concurrence and consent OF q
majority OF the people, to be fully,
freely and fairly expressed and as
| certained at the lis.
ITO assume that the democratic
party would enact or keep on the
statute books an election law with
out proper amendment after it had
been demonstrated that such law
was inadequate for the purpose de-
sired is to assume that the party,
either by reason Of the men it NOM
mates for office or of the principles
1t advocates, is afraid of the people
and cannot and should not accept
their support"
Continuing, Senator Blackburn
spea king of the Goebel law, says
ut has failed of it's purpose as is
shown by the vote on final count at
the last election. Is anyone SO big
Oted that no would refuse to |
amend the law because the original
Kramer could not fully anticipate
all the schemes and wiles of the ev-
er active agencies of force and
fraud?"
Senator Blackburn then proceeds
10 declare that 1t is the duty Of the |
Democratic party to frame an hon.
est election law not only because it
Is right to do so, but also because
the party will lose votes by not do
Ing so. He admits that the Goebel
law has lost the party many votes.
Senator Blackburn then proceeds
to declare what should be one Of
the cardinal principles in an hon.
est election law. He says:
THE convention should there
fore declare for an amendment to
the present election law so as .tol
give to each OF the two leading DO
llticHl parties majority and minor
'ty representation upon both the
Nt&oe and county boards of election
and an EQUAL di-
vision OF election officers IN each vo-
tlng preciDct. Such precinct Off.
Gers to be chosen and appointed by
Cne county boards of election COM {
mlssloners from list to be fur ,
hlsned by each respective party,
and the law should be so safe-guar-
aed with fines and penalties and
otherwise as to protect both the {
election officers and the voters [
rom FORCE, FRAUD, CORRUPTION
AND INTIMIDATION with adequate r
penalties to compel all persons
rom whom any duties are enjoined
relative to the casting, counting, I
md certifying of votes to honesty. a
fairly, and prom ptly 1
discharge the same.'
Thus it will be seen that Senator v
olackburn recognizes the fact that g
he only way to assure an honest c
lection is for each political party a
% nave representation on all cleo v
Ions boards-not representation v
selected by some other party, but p
'ach party, selecting it's own rep q
'esentatives. No man can repre-. q
tent you in a business transaction v
inless that man is selected as your r
gent to represent you. No politi- v
al party can be said to have repre-. t
presentation. Would any Democrat r
'laim that the Democratic psrty t
vas fairly and properly represented i
N an election board if the 90 called Q
eprese ptative Of the party was Sc. a
ected by the Repu olican party, re-
'ardless OF the wishes of the Dem
cratic party? But that is VIVA,
ne simmons machine have ar
anged to do in their dishonest law. a
hey say the opposition shall have q
representative at the voting pre- :.
lncts, but they deny to the oppo
l'lon the RI ht to select that repre- +
entation. They have arranged to Q
elect that representation them. t.
elves. This is the same arrang /,
ment that Mr.. Simmons had in
lis ballOt-box stuffing law of 1894. "
nat law said the opposition should q
ave representatives at the voting C
'laces, but 1T gave to the machine i,
he pc wer to select them. What was
he character of men selected nv
1mmons aud his ballot. box stuff.
ng henchmen to represent the
'opulist and Republican party in
o94f AT election precincts were L
ney did not dare to steal or had o
10 desire to steal they did put in "
airy good men to represent the Cd In
POSITION Indeed in some precincts v
hey would sometimes take the Il
most valuable and active worker so C.
IS to tie his hands and prevent him q
rom doing work for his party on :,
he day of election, but at the cleo .
ION precincts where it was neces D
airy for them to steal votes 10 get p
majority of a certain county or 81
district, what kind Of men did they
elect as representatives for the op-
osltion on the election board /, u