New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-24
PRErEYrfNG FRAUDS At THE POLLS.

The appeal issued from the Republican Coun
ty Committees Headquarters asking Repub
leans to volunteer to watch the polls on Elec
tion Day in order TO guard against fraud ha
aroused much interest and has received many
responses. 1t is an excellent plan to secure al
the competent watchers who can be obtained
who will keep so careful supervision Of the
| progress Of the vote and Of the count on Flee
ton Day that the Republicans shall not be
cheated out Of their just rights, as they have
been cheated again and again in previous years
in the lower wards Of this town. The best in
formed politicians have no doubt that Mr.
Blaine lost this State in 1884 through the
frauds on Election Day in the lower wards of
NewYorS City. II Is perfectly easy to prac-
tise such frauds if the Republican officers Of
| election are weak or purchasable men, who can
| be either bullied or bribed into allowing the
Democratic officers TO make false count and
false returns. This has happened repeatedly,
and only frauds Of this sort could possibly have
carried the State for Cleveland four years ago.
The work undertaken by the National Com
mittee and the County Committee to detect and
punish registration frauds and to watch the
voting and the counting on Election Day with
the most vigilant scrutiny deserves the warm
est commentator and the heartiest support Of
every honest and respectable citizen. But, I'M
fortunately, the Democratic party in the me-
tropolis has always been the party Of fraud
Though it contains many thousands of honor
able and upright men, it also contains a vast
horde of daring scoundres, who are always
Jofa 81, e IL In Iy oh
ing at the polls The only way to check their
schemes is TO secure incessant and vigilant over
sight of the proceedings at every polling place
on November g. The Republican Club of
Brooklyn has been OF inestmabe public SER
vice in previous years in watching the polls on
election days, and seeing to it that no villany
was piactised by the Democrats. The work of
the Republican committees this year, their care
full preparations, their thorough methods and
their complete system give promise that the
plots of Democratic conspirators against the
purity of the ballot will be exposed and de-
feated
The appeal, which calls upon every Repub-
Iican who can do so to volunteer as watcher
at the polls or, if he is unable to serve himself,
to send SIS to the County Committee Head
quarters, at No. 10 West Twenty ffth-st in
order to engage a substitute, should receive
favorable and enthusiastic answers in great
numbers from all parts Of the city. The Dem
ocratic Police Commissioners have shown no
eagerness, no willingness even, to aid in the
fort to prevent fraudulent registration, nor
are they likely to display any zeal in assisting
plans for the prevention of fraudulent voting
and fraudulent counting Police Commission
ers Mclean and Voorhis have acted in har
mony with the traditions and practices of their
party in declining to cooperate with the Ma
tional Republican Committee in its wise and
judicious efforts to secure an honest registry,
untainted by trickery or cheating. The Demo
Gratis could not have defeated Blaine in 1884
but for swindling and perjury vast scale.
They are anxious to repeat this sort of robbery
of the community this year, and their Police
Commissioners do not appear at all inclined to
check their nefarious designs. The Republican
members of the Police Board acted in fair
and honorable manner, while the supneness
of their Democratic colleagues with character
istc Democratic reluctance to interfere with the
schemes of the piratical and predatory elements
in the city, should secure for them the severe
reprobation Of every public-spirited New
Yorker.