, 1875-10-28

THE BALL0T.B0X GUARDS.
Tie Sixteenth Wartl Republican Club hns
get an excellent example for tho course that
ougl,t to ho pursued with reference to tho
proposed atuf1lng of the ba1lot-boxes. They
have organized what they call "Dallot- Boz
Guards" who nrc to he oillccred by Cap
tain, a First and Second Lieutenant, and fiyo
sergeants The self-imposcd duty Of this
organization is to stand by the polls md pro-
tect them against fraud on election day.
Snch M organization should bo formed by
tho honest voters in erory ward in the city,
md it should count among ita members ill
the nctivo and Gtalwart young men in, the
ward who arc interested in au honest e]ec-
ton.
Tho particular function Of tho Dallot-Box
in their rights. We reproduce tho section of
the Election law defining these rights:
The Judges Of election ahaN allow at least ono and
not more than two legal voters Of each par.y to tho
contest 10 10 chosen by tho parties respectively In
the rooIu where the election Ia held, TO act chnl-
lcpgors Of voters at such election aud At,ch chal-
1engern may remain with tho board Of election until
the votes all canyassoa and the result declared.
III conformance with this provision, tho
Republican Campaign Committee, with tho
adsice and help Of gentlemen living in the
various wards, will unluestionsbly select two
men to act MS challengers at every precinct.
1t will then be for the Dallot-Bo1 Guards in
cach ward to watch their precincts for the
double purpose Of seeing that the challengcrs
do their duty faithfully and nnainchingly,
and to see that they arc not prohibited
by strategy, intimidation, or violence
from remaining with tho ballot-boxes
from the opening Of tho polls
until the vote shall hayo been counted. The
Election law likewise requires (sec. 5G) TINT
there shall bo no adjournment and no recess
until the votes shall have becn counted md
the result publicly announced. The Ballot
Box Guards can also sec that this provision Of
tho Inv in not violated.
Tie merchants Of the city are doing we'll
to organize n protest against the thrcatoned
corruption OF the balIot-box. II election
frauds are permitted to become the zulc, i'll
stead Of The exception, in this city, the mer.
cantilo community Of Chicago may expect to
suffer as the business Of New York md Balti-
moro has suffered from tho same cause, II
tho Chicago merchants would prevent these
frauds, they should go at it in apractical way.
Their influence will count for nothing with
tho people who are deliberately proposing to
stuff tho ballot-bo1cs. Speech-1aaking will
not holp the matter. A largo moeting will
make no impression upon the County
Commissioners, nor tho Opposition judges,
nor the roughs who will gather ut
The polla in the interest of the HEs1sa ticket.
Bnt thero aro two why's in Which these nor-
chants can tlo practical service, viz. /: ~ by
closing their establishments part of tho
day on condition that their employees shall
spend portion Of tho timo at tho polls doing
service as voters md as Dallot~Bor Guarls
aud ~ by raising fund for tho payment Of
tic challengers to 10 selected by tho Repub-
lican Committee for each precinct 10 relnain
hy the ballot-bo1es FROM tho opening Of tho
polls Till after tho vote shall hare beeu count
ed and tho result announced.
Tho Cincinnati peoplo hAve recently lenl-
onstratea That ballot-bo1 stufing u,ay bo de-
feated by eternal yigilance. One year ago
the Democrats carried that city by 5000 na-
joriy,-eo unusna! majority that it WINS
Ao's .Ahe ~ totI'A on't 4Afo peeu Oh
ta!ned by frastl. This year The honest
voters organized in every wnrd, as wo
]lve suggested they sl,nll organize in Chi
cago, mud remained by the ballot-boxes till
the voto WIZ counted. They gave special at-
tention to those wards whero the Democratic
vote of last ycar WAS strangely excessive.
llle result was that tic vote III such wartly
WIN reduced to its proper proportions, aud
Tue city went Republican by l,G00 minority.
1here 's no 1cgistry Inv in Ohio, antl the
people were deprived of this protection ~
they will be in Chicago at this election and
II IL universally admitted that, if these ex.
iraort''nary precautions had not been tax.
en-, there would haye been frauds this year
rs there were last year with n similar result,
What Cincinnati l,ns done Chicago NAV do.
as 1t il just as imperative here as It ww
there; but 10 lufsas ,Le Chicaxo ballot.bor
suffers, with all tho election iulpey md MI
the roughs III the city OIL their nlv viii ~" ~
quiro uadinching courage, perfect orpanizo.
ton, antl untiriny vigilance n.xt Tucseav
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| Elsewhere in this issue will ha fon,,1 a.,
lddress delivered iu st. Louis ou Monday hv