The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-12
= THE OHIO FRAUD.

The action of the Democratic members Of
the Ohio Senate in boiling in order to defeat
certain action could not be defended, and has
been criticised all over the State, as well as
everywhere 1t is known. Their post of duty
was at Columbus, and there they should have
remained, to look after the affairs they were
chosen to care for. The running away of
the Democratic Senators was something that
cannot be justified. If the people Of that
State do not take cognizance of this thing,
and see to it that these men are not re. elected,
they will not do their duty. There has been
enough partisan trickery and genuine rascal
ity practiced in that State to thoroughly dis
gust every honest man, and there should be
stop put to it, and in way that will serve to
deter anyone from attempting repetition in
the future It has been shown that there
were the most uncomfortable frauds practiced
in the city Of Cincinnati. In one precinct
there were hundreds of more votes cast than
there were voters in 1t. Not content with
stuffing the ballot-box, but seeing that more
votes were needed to 'elect" certain candi-
dates, 200 were boldly added to the totals. 1t
was by the frauds perpetrated in this one pre-
cinct that the disputing candidates claimed
their election. They were seated on the GER
tifcate furnished by q sympathizing official,
and then impudently claimed the right
to vote on their own admission, without
which votes they would have to give way to
men really elected. To make good this palpa-
BILE fraud, and to prevent any further legisla-
ton after the Democratic minority had &C.
complished all they cared, the stampede was
agreed on, and the members, paid to attend to
the business of the State, went on a junketing
tour. Such things will not always be passed
over so lightly. They are of too serious
nature, and are too destructive of justice and
right to be forever tolerated The temporary
success Of the swindle in Cincinnati embold-
dened these men to take things into their own
hands, and to make the serious business of
legislation by-play, to be taken up and laid
down at their pleasure. Some of the best
Democratic citizens of Cincinnati have re-
peatedly confessed that the frauds there prac-
ticed in the election Of last fall were all the
work Of Democrats for the benefit of Demo
Gratis. No Democrat has been able to deny
that there were enough frauds perpetrated
there to 'elect" the four members Of the SEN
ate whose seats were in dispute, and the only
apology offered in defense of the steal was the
indefinite and specious pretense that "all the
frauds were not perpetrated by Democrats.
This is SO palpably dishonest and contempti-
BILE that it can have no effect other than
to emphasize the infamy of the steal. The thing
to GO under the circumstances was to ferret out
ever man implicated in the fraud and have
him sent to the States prison, and this with
out regard to the complexion of his politics.
lots into the box of precinct A, Fourth Ward,
should have been imprisoned, and that one who
added 200 to the total when he discovered that
without it the Democratic senatorial candidates
in Hamilton county would not be allowed to
take their seats, should have been made to ac-
company the others This done, the Demo
Gratis would have been put to their best to es-
tablish the claim that there had been Repub-
licaD frauds as we'll What the honest men of
this country want is honest elections, and no
nonsense after the work of legislation is begun
They do not want the creatures of election fix
ers and thieves to make laws for them and they
will indorse any action taken to discover
and punish the schemers who resort to fraud
to corrupt the verdict of the ballot box, which
is the honest mans only method Of making
his wishes known in regard to the conduct of
public affairs. The men who have profited by
the frauds mentioned, and who have COM
pounded their meanness by running away from
their post of duty, should be held to strictest
accountability. Unless partisan prejudice is
deep enough in Ohio to drown common hon.
esty, these men and their makers will be re-
buked in a manner they will never forget
-
IRONS VERSUS POWDERLY.
II is given ont that IL ia the ambition Of