Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-09-02
Democratic Primary Election.

Democratic Primary Election.
Ed. Register-You did very proper &c,
in publishing in tabulated form, as you did
in the REGISTER of August 5th, the returns
Of the Democratic Primary Election held
in Iron county on the Saturday previous
July 31st. 1t was proper as matter OF news
to all your readers, but it was eminently
proper that this should be done in the inter.
est and for the enlightenment of the Demo-
Gratis of this county. Nor can any honest
Democrat rightfully complain of your hav-
| ing stated, in an editorial paragraph, that
the figures given show that the election, as
| conducted, was "a farce and fraud" That
Is precisely what it was. What are the facts
in the case? The total vote polled at the
general election, 1884, two years ago,
amounted to 1880. OF this total, 525 votes
were Republican and 500 Democratic. And
yet, at the Democratic primary, held july 81,
1856, an aggregate of ], S22 votes were polled,
each and every voter of whom was presum-
ably pledged to support the candidates, If
fairly nominated, at the coming November
election. Can any intelligent Democrat
come to the conclusion that, in less than two
years, the Democratic voters of Iron county
| have increased IN number more than one
thousand, or more than one hundred per
cent? ! do not believe such conclusion
possible. Hence, was Ipleased to find the
REGISTER of August 18th containing an ed
itorial in which you declare mo man will
claim that the number of real votes has in.
creased more than one hundred, or that the
10 10 nj;
dred." Clearly, then, the primary election
of July 81, in Iron county, was "a farce and
and Fraud" as 1922 voters, assuming to
be Democrats, voted on that occasion. What
then should follow? Can this " fraud " be
remedied? For nay part, do not see how
this can be done, unless the candidates as
sumed to be nominated, should decline to
accept their nominations and refer the mat
ter back to the people. This, in all proba-
bility, will not be assented to, even by
majority of the candidates, and pretty GER
tainly not by all. Nor Jam at all satisfied
that this course, under existing circum-
stances, would remedy the 'fraud." Ger
tainly it would not, if succeeding primary
election were permitted to be converted into
ga farce and q fraud"
What, then, remains for the Democratic
voter to do IN the premises? You say in the
REGISTER of July 9th, "When we agree to 90
into such a thing Ga primary election) we
must abide the consequences" Clearly this
is rot logical assumption. 1t is, the law
yers tell US, a maxim in law that fraud -
vitiates contract makes it null and void.
The maxim, IF correct, is equally applicable,
morally, in all social and political agree
ments or contracts. Hence, am free to say
am not and will not be bound by the "farce
and fraud "of so-called Democratic pri-
mary election. In other words, l will not
vote the ticket assumed to be nominated at
the recent primary in Iron comfy. I do
not mean 10 be understood as saying will
not vote for any candidate so assumed to be
nominated. I may vote for all of them,
though I now make no pledge to that effect.
But do say, will not vote for any candi-
date assumed to have been nominated, be-
cause of such nomination. For whomso-
ever [ may vote, however, that candidate (or
all the candidates, as the case may be) shall
receive my vote because he is Democrat
or proper person to fill the position he
aspires to. l began to vote more than fifty
years ago by voting q Democratic ticket and
have never voted any other than Demo-
cratic ticket, in fact have seldom ever
scratched name from my ticket. Hence,
think may lay claim to being persistent
Democrat. and / think, also, that l have
been consistent. In any event, will not be |
controlled by a "farce" or a "fraud" in cast
ing my vote. I will not permitras calls in poll |
tics to control me as IL voter. I am, at least, |
so much Democrat that will not permit |
a Republican, unpledged to support a NOM
nee, to dictate to me for whom I must vote
Much less will permit minors, unnatural |
lied residents, or non resident citizens, who |
could not fulfill such pledge. And may as |
well say now and here, as at any other time |
or place, that will not vote for any can
didate assuming to have been nominated at |
the so-oalied Democratic primary, held in |
Iron county, July 81, of whom may have |
well-grounded suspicion that he connived |
at, aided or abetted in the "farce" and |
''fraud" perpetraied on that day, or who
takes advantage of nomination knowing |
or believing it to be farcical and fraudulent.
If the course here marked out for my own
guidance be not esteemed sufficiently Demo-
cratic for any party interested, he or they
are welcomed to make the best of it.
Mr.. Editor, 1 have never had AN Office,
never have been a candidate asking election,
and never expect to be, and havo no further
interest in the result of the ensuing Novem-
Der election than every good Democrat
should have. Hence / do not feel called
upon to atfix my name to this article. New
ertheless you may reveal it to whomsoever
You may deem 1t proper to do so.
AN OLD DEMOCRAT.
KAOLIN, Mo-, August "a.