New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-08
EVEN DEMOCRATS DISGUSTED'
FRAUD WITHOUT PRETENCE OF CONCEAL
MENT IN FLORIDA.
THE STATE LAW, INFAMOUS AS IT IS, NOT SUE,
F1UENT-ITS PROVISIONS VIOLATED IN
ORDER TO INSURE A BOUR-
MAJORITY
IBY IELEGRAPm 1o TILE 1kIBUNE.l

ORDER TO INSURE BoUR-
BON MAJORITY.
IBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.
Jacksonville. Fla. Nov. 1.-THE Democratic morning
paper here cannot stomach the vile frauds Of it, party az
the last election and this mornings editorial shows us
disgust as these extracts prove:
We believed before the election, and are more 'hh
ever convinced. that the Republican party should nave
had at least representative among the inspectors a'
the polling places At some OF the precincts IN 'hiS
city the law violated in the neglect to nscbe every
ballotbox with Roman letters. or very plain chrog-
raphy announcing the character of the ballot 10 w
deposited. Instead Of this some Of the boxes were us
figured with hierOghyp hics purp,eey meant to m'sica
Contrary law ballots representing only the VIII Vi
the majority We're piled up some of the boxes anu
voters, both Democrats and Republicans, were told Una.
II a single a ticket erased II invahda'eu
the whole ticket. This not true under the PLAIN
Interpretation Of the law, according to the dictates OIL
cOmmon-sense. With both parties to count the Vo'c
the verdict would have been that long the will OF
the could be decphered his ballot was entitled 10
its full weight"
ton Club, held after the election, strong resom-
tons were adopted and ordered abroad dcnOunchs
the Democratic steal Of the state. The document Is d.
follows:
The Harrison and Morton Club Of the City OF JACK
sonvile, with membership Of ZOO white Republicans
among whom number OF the largest property
and most prominent business men in this city, ue-
sire to enter this their solemn and emphatic protest.
against the open notorious and unconscionabe frauds
perpetratcd by the Democratic party at the elecuoh
held In this county and state Tuesday The city Oh
Jacksonville is the metropolis OF the state OF Flooa
Its phenomenal growth and prosperity is due In large
to Northern immigration, Northern capital and
the influence OF it's citizens who came from the North
and have made their homes herr, The large majority
OF these people Republicans and have dared in the
face OF Democratic intolerance, to maintain their con
victons and to advocate the cause OF Repubicanism
Under the influence of the club the Republican ticket
placed in the field. The candidates on the ticket
were white men exclusively, with the exception
of one intelligent educated and refined colored man,
who was nominated for the Legislature. The county
of Duval, in which the city OF Jacksonville Is
situated had all admitted Republican majority OF at
least 800 and yet notwithstanding these facts, tho
Democratic party has openly violated every principe
of honor and justice, and ignored the rights OF Ike
publcans by refusing to count and canvass ballots cast
for this Republican ticket by Republicans, and in
violation Of every principle Of right and justice, has
made false returns and certified the election OF per
for different county offices, who were over
wllemed with defeat by the voters OF the county at
the polls. We soemnly aver that the Republican
party this county never more soldly united, nor
enthusiastic in support Of the ticket, than at
the last election. Every candidate the Republican
Democrats to be a Of integrity and honor, and
amply capacitaed discharge the duties OF the Office
for which he nominated. Republicans have no
redress in the county Of Duva in Democratic courts
1t would be useless to indct any election Oiccr fol
the preparation OF fraud because the selection OF the
jury is in the hands OF the very officials who were
instrumental in thus deprlvng Republicans Of theiI
rights of suffrage. This club sOlemnly ayers that
the Democratic charge, that Republicans have
endeavoring to niggerze the Offices Of the State
of Florida is without any foundation in truth
fac. There not in the entire State Of Florida
more than half dozen colored men who were candi
dates for Office and they candidates for legislative
offices, so that the action of the Democratic party is
directed against Republicans Of whatever color or
previous condition, and not against the cOored man.
We take occasion to enter this most solemn pro
test against these unlawful and dishonest methods
whereby Republicans have been deprived of their rights
and privileges American citizens, and urge upon
the Congress of the United states Immediately 10
adopt such measures N future win prevent repe
ton of these monstrous wrongs, and to Repub
cans in the South their right to cast their ballots
for candidates Of their choice and to have those ballots
counted fairly and honestly.
THE infamous Election law Of this State provides
for the registration of voters BY Democratic officials
giving Republicans representation and not allowing
them to examine have copies of registration books.
Democratic officials in executing this law, in every
way impede, hinder and delay Republican voters
as much possible when they appear before them
for registration. They often refuse to register
them and turn them away upon frivolous prcexts or
excuses and require them 10 return time and again
before they are able to register While these Demo
cratic officials frequently place names Of Democrats
upon the registration books without their appear
ing before them at ALL they do all in their power to
discriminate against Republicans and to assist and aid
Democrats These Democratic registration officials
allowed under the law to strike off names OF voters
upon any himsy excuse, without ever notifying the
voter whose name has been erased. The laws OF
Florida require the payment Of the poll tax pre-
requisite for voting to be paid at least thirty da-s
prior to the election. Democratic officials, in eX-
ecutng this law in the county OF Duval turned
hundreds of Republicans who applied in person within
the time prescribed by law to pay their tax rendering
their dollar and thus deprving them of their right to
vote Officials consumed as much time as possible
in receiving the tax and issuing certificate, and in
some instances issued only about twenty-five
during the day, while hundreds of voters
were standing in line day after day, willing
and anxious to pay the tax. On the other
hand Democrats given receipts without ever
making application for them, the same being sent
them through the mail and by friends Hundreds Of
Democrats in Duval County received the poltax re-
ccpts after the timt prescribed by law. When Demo
cratic officials refused afford ample facilities to Re
publ1ans for paying their taxes, application was made
to the Governor and Controller OF the state requesting
them to direct the OFFICIALS to afford ample faclltes'
hut they declined take any action in the premises
I'VE desire to call attention to the last and most
niCuitOus part of this Infamous Election law which
makes the holding of elections in Florida mere
farce and takes from the people and places In the
hands of a few Democratic bosses the power TO say
who shall be officers Of the county ana state: In
this state the law allows the Democratic officials 10
apDoint ali Democrats as inspectors and officers
OF election and they did it in Duval County and
nearly every other county IN the State this year.
utterly disregarding the application Of Republicans
for approximation upon the boards OF election.
and against their solemn protests. The law
further allows these Democratic election officers
70 be shut up in building by themselves
during the whole election day. and requires them to
count and canvass the vote secretly with no Repub-
lican witness present and to destroy
the ballots after thus removing all evidence OF
frauds committed. In nearly every district In inc
county the designations OF balotbOxes were wrlt1en
on both SIDES OF the box On one side i was written
I'm a plain large hand. On the other side IL was III
hand scarcelv egble and mado so that the most IN
teIgen voters could only with great dcuity deePher
The writing Whenever a Republican was ushered hto
the darkened room, unless he was profound scholar ne
was unable tell what was on the boxes ana Noteo
were deposited i'm the wrong box, they were thrown
ont In ali precincts Democratic ballots were placed
Iican IalI Tpre