Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-11-14
BEN BUTLER TALKS.
And Tells How the Thing Came About
as It Did.
He Says That Fraud, Bulld0zing ana
All UnrixhteOusness Were
Massed Against Hlm---Pre-
dictions for the Future.

BOSTON, Mass, Nov. 13.-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
ana best wishes of the majority of the people
OF the state, although he 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 bulldozed by the score" The governor
said he was having all these cases quietly in
vestgated, and ono OF these days will produce
the direct evidence.
The governor says that all the shoe towns,
save one, showed large increase in his vote.
ShoemakerS are skilled lab,rers and are
independent The corporation cities, on
the contrary, show a 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 $4,000 on the largest possible VOTE
The cotton and woolen men will find that
bulldozing their employees to vote against the
Democratic party is not a good way to get a
Democratic congress to give them protection.
Don't believe cotton and woolen 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 bal
lots for the strong Republican wards were
printed all right, but when it came to strik-
ing off those for the Democratic wards, the
engine stopped three times, causing fatal
delay. and it was found that the en-
glneer was drunk, that the packing
boxes had been loosened SO 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, a stranger was
found lettering with the drunken engineer
The engine was kept in disabled condition
from midnight till nearly 5 o'clock on election
morning, and as a consequence several large
Democratic wards were left without tickets
till late hour, where three-quarters of the
vote was thrown before | O'clock.
1.-The fact OF a conspiracy is patent. A vic
tory won by such means wild sink the party
out OF sight which eompas5ed them. 1 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.
Whey say my defeat has destroyed my
presidential aspirations. l never claimed to
have any. All the Republican papers and
orators claimed that if l was elected
governor this year my presidential candida
Iure was certain and election probable. But
the votes are wanted next year, not this year.
II had been reelected by the same vote as
last year, it would have been hailed as
great victory, but it would not make
doubtful state, as there
would be the Garfield reserve vote
Of $1,000 majority to fall back on. But
Robinson got 5, 900 less than Garfield with a
total increase of 5000. 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 |
led bulldozng all directed against the can
1idate, 1000 in the minority three years
ago, it may be easily determined that the
", 900 majority makes Massachusetts, not
only doubtful state but Democratic state
next year.
"Other elements are increasing the Demo-
cratic vote. Our Democratic mothers twenty
years ago began having children at the rate
Of three to one for the Republican mothers. |
These are now adding per cent. a year to
Dur vote. The Republicans raked so near
the grave for their votes that 4 per cent. of |
them will naturally die off in a year.
Somebody is to lead the Democratic party |
to victory under difficult circumstances. The |
00,O0O Democratic majority in New York
has melted away to 10000 If that had hap
pened to me here, l should not have thought
that it improved my political chance. have
increased my vote in the state over Han
cocks, 10000, while Pennsylvania is Republi-
IAN again, New York has lost, Connecti-
cut is doubtful, and New Jersey has just
'craped through, and Maryland is shaking
N the wind. Virginia has showed the Dem
'crats they can have a solid south, and that
ends to solid north.
'It becomes the Democratic party to look
% its resources. 1t can achieve victory by
lniting the labor element with it, where it
naturally and properly belongs"