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The Conspiracy Totters

The Conspiracy Totters image
Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
November
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

After the election of Mr. Harrison the republicans entered into a conspiracy to regain control of the government indefinitely, regardless of any change in public opinión. This conspiracy was not long concealed but soon became open, flagrant and defiant. When it is clearly understood it will become as obnoxious to the American people as was the con spiracy of the NewEngland federalists to dissolve the Union upon the admis sion of Louisiana. The desperate ef forts and enormous expense required in 1888 to control the electoral votes of two democratie states, warnedthere publican leaders that they'must provide in some less expensive way for silencing the voice of the people at the polls. Three schemes, equally contrary to the genius of American institutions, were agreed upon. One was the creation of ne-w states, sufficient in numbers and voting strength to more than counterbalance the vote of Indiana. This was done by the admissioii of the following states: Electoral States. tion. vote. Maho 84.3P5 3 Montana 132,159 3 North Dakota 182,719 3 South Dakota 328.808 4 Wa6hin?ton 349,390 4 Wyomiusr 60.705 a Totals 1,138,166 20 The next move of the conspiralors was to establish in the south a reign of terror, and repeat in 1892 the outrages of 1876. That the passage of the Force bilí should be assured without debate, the conspirators deemed it best to revolutionize the rules of the House. Henee Reed and his iron-clad rules. But the republicana counted too surely on the timidity of the demócrata and the indifference the people. Every step was contested with such ■zeal and earnestness and dtertnmatio)i that public sentiment was aronsed and Reed and his fellows fonnd themselves face to face with the American people, The Force bil] failed and the repuDlican speaker, having sacrificed conviction and consistency to execute the will of the caucus, lost the respect of the ouly portion of therepublican party whose respect was valuable. Notwithstanding this partial failure of the scheme, the treasury of the republican party was filled by the passage of the McKiuley tariff bill. The republioan defeat in 1890 was a revation of the awakening of the people to the eiiormity of the contemplated outrages, but the risks already taken forced the republicans to go forward. They are now busy devising ways and means to control the next election in the face of the verdict of the people. An obstacle on which they had not counted was the action of the Michigan legislatura in providing for minoi ity representation in the electoral college. By this act, instead of having fourteen votes solid from Michigan for the republican eandidate, the republicans are only sure of ten, while the democrats can rely with equal contideuce on four. The republicans are now schemingj to male good this loss. On1hissub-I ject the Chicago Tribune says: "If the republicans were to carry all the states they did three years ago, except New York and Indiana, and carry also the six new states, Montana included, their chances in which are bet ter than those of the democrats, they would have had 218 electoral votse, or five less than a majority. Is there any state casting about that number of votes which inight possibly turn from the democratie into the republican column? There is- West Virginia, which casts six electoral votes. The cratic majority in that state has been dvviudling steadily, as the followin table of majorities given democratie candidates will show: 1876-Tilden 1... 13,757 ! 1880- Hancock 11148 1834- Cleveland ' " i2i ■ 1838-CJevelaud ."..'J.Y.'.l '506 i "These figures show that the state is quite likely to go republican next year. With West Virginia, the republicans would have 224 electrol votes, or one more than is needed, assuming that they lost Jíew York and Indiana, 'but carried Montana and the full vote of Michigan." In this calculation there are just thirteen votes in doubt, three of which the republicans may get: Montana, three; Michigan, tour; West Virginia, six. With a forcé bilí the republicans cernid have "captured" Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi or Louisiana, regardless of the vote cast. As it is, they are in deep distress. They can pour a flood of money into Montana with a vote of 50,00 or 60.000. but without Michigan solid and West Virginia this will not avail. The case seems desperate, but the republicans have the means at command, thaiiks to the McKinley bill, to meet desperate emergencies. In Quay, Clarkson, Dudley and Elkins, the"y have a quartet ready for any work. Democrats need to be wide awake and united. On trhee issues they can go to the polls: The tariiï; The Force bill: The Uillion Dollar Congress. These have been well kept before the people. and on them the worli of educación has been done. If the ' ocratic leaders in Congress do their whole duty this winter the republican conspiracy which began with such 3oldness and elaborateness will fail, iud everv man cunnecied with it Iip Iriven from public life.