The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-11-30
Republican Intimidation.

When the Republicans in the
house last spring made the RAID on
the Democrats and unseated large
number of Democratic men,
bers, some of them elected
by more than 5000 majority,
it will be remembered that
Calkins, of Indiana, was head devil
in the conspiracy because he was
chairman of the elections committee.
1t was he who made out what feeble
cases they had, and took the leading
part in expelling Democrats from
their seats.
But now Calkins will find out how
it is himself. The iron is to enter
his own soul. He has q slim MAORI
" of q. couple of hundred or SO, but
it is a majority obtained by just such
means as he has charged against the
south, by intimidation and force.
His seat will be contested, and it
would seem his case had only to be
reached to summarily unseat him.
In the city of South Bend, in his dis
trict, are some large manufacturing
establishments, the proprietors OF
which were over-Zealous for Calkins.
How they practiced intimidation
upon the voters is thus explained in
the South Bend Times:
"When the sun went down Mon
day night, November 6, 1882, upon
the busy city of south Bend, it was
known that there was a majority of
at least $50 votes in the city limits
for the Democratic county, state and
congressional candidates. But when
the polls closed Tuesday night 1t was
pretty evident that this well-known
majority of the people had been by
force and intimidation changed into
a majority for the Republican candi-
dates. The process by which this
was accomplished is well known
and understood by every citizen
of Sonth Bend. 1t was brought
about, by the strong hand of the
"bosses" IN the shops of the Oliver
Chilled pillow works and the Stude-
baker wagon works, being upon the
threats of the men who labor in
these great industries. For days
before the election the "bosses" had
impressed upon the men under their
control in all the departments that
unless they voted the Republican
ticket they would have to look else
where for the means of earning a
livelihood for themselves and their
dependent families. With q cold
winter at hand there are few men
who would brave the danger of vic
lating the will of those in power.
But this was not enough
The next thing was to tie
the hands of the Demo-
cratic workers at the polls. This
was done by serving notice on them
that unless they attended their work
on the election day they would be
discharged though no work was
done at either of the establishments,
that would require their presence
that day. Yet they were not secure
and one more step must be taken to
complete the rape of the ballot. The
browning act OF the conspiracy was
accomplished by taking men from
their places of work in charge of
"bosses" or "fOremen," loading them
in wagons, under their control, driv-
ing them to the polling places, where
when they had got out of the wagon,
and W ere within few feet of the
ballot box, folded tickets were
placed in their hands and step or
two and the ballot was in the box -
whose ballot? Not the men-but
the "bosses." This was kept up
until all were voted. No Democrat
was permitted to enter these estab-
lishments for the distribution of
tickets, and Democratic wagons to
haul voters to the polls were ordered
away from the gates. By this pro-
cess the territory composing the
third ward was made to poll a Re-
publican majority of $50 votes as
against Democratic majority
OF 245 at the city election. In addi-
ton to this trick of legerdemain, the
vote was tainted by the same process
in the third, fifth and tenth pre-
cincts. Thus it will be seen that the
process of securing a Republican
majority in this city has tainted the
ballot of free people, and cast a
dark cloud over two of our great in
dustries. But part, at least, of the
ill-gotten victory will be wrenched
from their hands by full and COM
plete investigation by congress and
the legislature"