The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-09-22
VOLUME xLvI.
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS.
By J. L. POWER.


.,,.., For Fuii Popular Vote In No.
vsmber.
A. the meeting of Central Democratic
r,,b in Jackson, ON the 7th instant,
the following was unanimously adopted:
rothe Central Democratic Club:
Your committee to consider the very
.m.ll popular vote 1T general elections
IN this State and to suggest how and
whv the same should be increased beg
leave to report that we have carefully
inouired into this very important mat
ter and submit few facts and figures,
tb;s mere statement of which, It ID
boped, will demonstrate the propriety
of this action of the Central Club.
The total registered vote. of the
Seventh congressional district in 1s96
was 16.64s. The total vote for congress
in that district in 1898 was 3,604. The
registered vote Of all the districts in
1895 was 1875, 571, of which 109,337 were
white, 1884 colored. The total vote
In all the districts for members of con-
gress 10 1898 was 27,37s, of which 25. 1877
were for the Democratic candidates.
At the same election there were only
9s,slS votes cast on the elective judici-
ary amendment.
A carefully prepared tabulation of
the entire registered vote in 1890 shows
a total of 14O, ,s94-12S,567 white, 1870
colored. The total vote for governor
at the election the same year was 49,
$40, which was the highest vote cast
for any of the State offices. The pri-
mary vote for governor in seventeen
counties was 2o,594 The primary vote
for United States senator in fifty-two
counties was 66,759. The total regis
tered vote (white) of Kinds county in
1890 was 3,273. The total vote for gov
ernor at the general election in Kinds
county the same year was only 794, or
2,479 votes less than was cast in tho
primary for county Office.
If there are 3,S7s white registered
voters in Kinds and $500 OF these were
cast in primary, is it not unfortunate
that the vote that must be officially
tabulated and that goes into the records
OF the country IL that cast at the gen.
eral elections? II there are Is, TIT reg
istered voters in the Seventh district,
why should the certified result OF Hon.
@. E. Hooker's election be q total of
5000 or less? II Col. Hooker was the
primary, why should not that choice be
ratified in the general election? If the
primary election is to govern in the
selection of candidates for public Of
fee, why should not the law be amended
so as to require that the primary vote
be tabulated with the same care as the
vote at the general election, and Of
fcially published, 80 as to show the en-
tire voting strength of the State? Why
should 1t be a matter of continuous
comment and inquiry and explanation
that our representatives take their seats
in congress with only one-sixth of the
registered vote?
That the Democratic candidates In
the seven districts will be elected goes
without saying; but that they would be
proud to receive . popular instead of a
fragmentary vote all must admit. So,
let us in 1900 make q new departure
from the usage that has obtained in our
general elections, and let every quail
fled voter who can 60 to the polls give
expression to his choice of candidates.
This is the more important in presi-
DENTAL year, when not only the elec.
toral vote decides, but when there is
much stress laid upon the popular vote
OF the whole country. In the presiden,
tial election of 1895 there were 13, ,914,-
494 votes cast for all the candidates.
OF these Mr.. Mckinley received 7.10o,.
$50, and Mr.. Bryan e,497. 1926. Had the
more than 10000 white Democrats Of
Mississippi who stayed away from the
polls that year, with proportionate non
voters in all of the Southern States
done their full duty, Mr.. Bryan would
have received the largest popular vote
IN 1896, and the moral effect of such q
fact would be felt in the present con
test.
We submit that It should be our spe
cial aim, as Democratic clubs, and a.
individuals, to bring out full vote, SC
that Mr.. Bryan may know that Missis
sippi is for him, ''Arst, last and all ths
time;" that our congressman may no,
have to spend any of their valuable
time in explaining why their constitu
ents don't vote, and that there may b.
full expression on the two amend