The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-13
BEN BUTLER TALKS,
And Tells How the Thing Came About
as 1t Did.
Ne Says That Fraud, RulidOzing and
All Unrighteousness Were
Massed Against HIm---Pre-
dictiOns for the Future

BosToN. Mass, Nov. IS. The Globe pub,
fishes lengthy interview with Gov. Butler
relative to the late election and his political
future. The governor said that he was proud
and happy to know that he had the hearts
and best wishes of the majority Of Che people
of the state, although be had not their votes.
Thousands of votes were bought directly
and indirectly. Votes were openly purchased,
and many were paid for by groceries, extra
days wages, etc Employees of corporations
were balidozed by the score" The governor
said he was having all these cases quietly in
yestigated and one of these days will produce
tho direct evidence.
The governor says that all the shoe towns,
save one, showed a large increase in his vote.
Shoemakers are skilled lab1rers and are
independent The corporation cities, ON
the contrary, show large increase IN
his opponents vote. These facts, he
says, show that the Democratic party
was beaten by civilized bulldozing. "Give
voters the secret ballot and the state is Demo
cratic by 5000 on the largest possible vote.
The cotton and wooden men will find that
bulldozing their employees to vote against the
Democratic party is not good way to get a
acknowledgements TO give them protection.
Don't believe cotton and WOODEN shares IN
corporate stock are worth as much by 10 per
cent as they were before the election.
"a specific case of fraud, which was
proved, was the breaking down of the engine
of the printer, Kiley, who was hired to print
the Democratic ballots for Boston, The bali
lots for the strong Republican wards were
printed all right, but when it came to str1k-
ing off those for the Democratic wards, the
engine stopped three times, causing fatal
delay, and it was found that the en-
gineer was drunk, that the packing
boxes had been loosened 50 that steam
could escape as fast as made. The engine
was repeatedly placed in good order, and re-
peatedly got out of order, and every time, in
going to the engine-room, stranger was
found lettering with the drunken engineer.
The engine was kept in disabled condition
from midnight till nearly o'clock on election
morning, and as a consequence several large
Democratic wards were left without tickets
tiifa late hour where three-quarters ofthe
vote was thrown before l o'clock.
1.-The fact of conspiracy is patent Avic-
tory won by such means will sink the party
out of sight which eompassed them. l defy
the Republicans to undo what | have DONE
have reformed the state prison, the insur-
ance department, and Tewksbury, and defy
them to turn out Warden Usher or Insurance
Commissioner Tarbox, or restore the Marshes
to Tewksbury
''They say my defeat has destroyed my
presidential aspirations. l never claimed to
have any All the Republican papers and
orators claimed that if / was elected
governor this year my presidential candida
ture was certain and election probable. But
the votes are wanted next year, not this year.
If Ihad been reelected by the same vote as
last year, it would have been hailed as a
great victory, but it would not make
Massachusetts doubtful state, as there
would be the Garfield reserve vote
of $1,000 majority to fall back on. But
| Robinson got 5 200 less than Garfield with a
| total increase of 10000. Taking into consid-
Grafton then the half million expenditure OF
the Republicans, their importation of out
side senators and congressman, the com
bined opposition to me of the press, the civil,
lied buildozing AL directed against the can
didate, 5000 in the minority three years
| ago, it may be easily determined that the
10000 majority makes Massachusetts, not
| only doubtful state but a Democrats statt
next year.
"Other elements are increasing the Demo
cratic vote. Our Democratic mothers twenty
years ago began having children at the ratt
of three to one for the Republican mothers
These are now adding 5,per cent year t.
our vote. The Republicans raked so neal
| the grave for their votes that per cent. o.
them will naturally die off in a year.
Somebody is to lead the Democratic party
to victory under difficult circumstances, Th'
200, 900 Democratic majority in New Yorl
has melted away to 10000. If that had hap
pened to me here, l should not have though
that it improved my political chance hav'
increased my vote in the state over Han
cocks 10000, while Pennsylvania is Repubi
can again, New York has lost, Connect
cut is doubtful, and New Jersey has jus
scraped through, and Maryland is shaking
in the wind Virginia has showed the Dem
ocrats they can have solid south, and tina
tends to a solid north.
at becomes the Democratic party to Loo
to its resources. 1t can achieve victory b.
uniting the labor element with it, Where
naturally and properly belongs