The broad ax., 1909-09-18
The Rise and Reign Of The
Bourbon O|igarCfly In
The Southern States,
By Joseph c. Manning, Editor of the Southern
American, Alexander City, Alabama.
The BACKING BEHIND THE oLIoARcHY
CHAPTER III.

The real backing behind the oil
garchy controlling the States of the
South, when disclosed, may be plainly
seen to be the machine, the shell, the
loaded dice" not the masses Of the
people. II is a characteristic of the
cunning and shrewd democracy to
speak of itself as "the South Let 1t
be seen right here what part does the
democracy" consume of this scope Of
space and breadth of area they pretend
to hIl. The State of South Carolina
is a shining example. The dem
ocracy' of the State of B. R. Tillman
sent to the Congress in the election
of 1909 its entire delegation of seven
members upon a combined demo
cratic" vote of 2o343. The total vote
returned for all candidates was 37,-
I8s. The white voting population is
I3o574- The total voting population of
the State is zz8,S7S. The fact is evi-
dent from this showing that the white
vote of South Carolina is not in evi.
dence as supporting the oligarchy in
this State. There is taking to the
woods" of the masses of whites, to say
nothing whatever of the Colored vot-
ing population that is cowed down and
terror stricken into voiceless pathos.
Might a Colored man dare to speak
for his rights under the Constitution
of the Republic in a State where it
is not dared, except to meet the as
sassin's bullet, for the white editor of
great daily newspaper to cry out
against a dishonorable condition and
as equally bad state of deviltry lead
ership? This situation IS quite sufi-
cient to halt the self-respecting eiti-
zen of the North from allying himself
with a democracy South such as
lives and has its being in South Car
orilna. If Democracy" means that
the people shall rule, then what is the
democratic" party in South Carolina
The editor who dares to become the
defender of real democracy must be
borne to the tomb The voter who
may cast a ballot to establish republi-
can government is counted out. The
republican who dares to speak out for
it is "an enemy to the South" and "a
foe to white supremacy" The whole
vote of the democracy" degenerate
State of South Carolina, for all cleo
toral tickets in 1000, was but 5oSIs-
Mississippi leads the van of the oil
garchiaI governments of the South.
and her "fostered son." Hon John
Sharp Williams, seated himself in
Congress in 1909 upon a vote of I,433.
No opposition-of course not Who
would oppose anything or anybody
democratic" in Mississippi? One Mis-
sissippi member broke into congress
in the election of Ioo7 with the mere
handful of I,I46 votes. Of course this
was all that was necessary" The en-
tire delegation from the State of Mis-
sissippi was elected to Congress upon
a combined vote of 1908. This State
has a white voting population of ISo,-
or, the total voting population being
s4oIzz. From democracy" to ohgar-
chy. from oligarehy to Vardaman IS
the Mississippi situation. What con-
ditionl
The great State of Alabama may
challenge comparison with these two
States, perhaps, for the oligarchy has
done what it could" for white su-
premacy." The total number of males
of voting age in Alabama is z32,2o4
whites and I8I,47I blacks, making, in
all, 413,S62 Alabama's oligarehy polled.
in the gubernatorial election of Iooz,
6z,64o democratic" ailots for gov
ernor and there Is a vote of 2AIoo ac-
credited to the republican candidate
There were zoso Colored citizens per
mitted to register and participate in
this election.
As compared with the congressional
districts in States of the North, the
Southern method is an easy road 20
Congress when Travelled BY the Oiigar-
ehist representative. In the XIth Ohio
district, represented BY Mr.. Grosveuor.
there we're 4z6II ballots cast for both
candidates for Congress. This is only
z4.zss more ballots than were required
to elect the entire Mississippi deIega-
don Mr.. Grosvenor received z8I7+
while il required only 1855 votes 70
seat Mr.. Williams Mr.. Cannon, Of