Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-12
WHAT FLORIDA POPULIsTS SAY.
The state Chairman Says Their Votes Were
Not Counted, but They Are Not Crying
Fraud"


Not Counted. but They Are Not Crying
Fraud"
Correspondence of The Evening Star
PALATKA, FLA, Oct. 10. 1892.
'Well, now, Col. Harvey, what did it alp
the question which The STAR correspond
ent put TO the chairman of t he Florida people 8
party last night, referring, Of course to the
defeat of the populists in last Tuesdays cleo
ton.
Il have my own ideas on that point" he re-
piled. I'm not going to cry fraud That's
a chestnut. For five weeks past l haven't had
any idea that we would carry the state, but to
tell the truth did think we were going to get
out bigger vote. There was one time early in
August when l thought our chances for carry
ing the state were good. II looked then if the
boards of county commissioners were all going
to give us representation i'll the appointment of
inspectors and clerks OF election. In fact, We
had positive assurances TO that effect from many
of the democratic leaders. II that program
had been carried out 1t would have encouraged
our people to register and pay their poll taxes,
but when they found that the democrats were
going to keep the count strictly in their own
hands they lost interest and got discouraged.
Now, I'm not saying that the count was fraudu-
lent, but the refusal to allow to participate
in ii kept down our vote many thousands
throughout the state.
Then the force bill Issue was pushed for
all it was worth by the democratic press and
speakers, and this hac a marked effect upon our
vote. 1t kept hundreds and thousands of real
third party men in the democratic ranks. The
force bill agitation is a big bugaboo. but il 5
an easy thing to brighten the average southern
man with.
'Do you think, Col. Harvey, that the coming
here Of Gen. Weaver helped or injured your
cause?"
''Oh, it didn't injure it any. But doubt If
it did very much good. II was too late
shall you go right on with the congressional
and national electors canvass?"
''Why, of course. We are in this thing to
stay. You don't suppose little setback like
this last election will frighten us of, do you?
The republicans will help us out amazingly in
the November election. We shall have in
spectors, too There was q good deal of fraud
ulent counting in last Tuesdays election, but
not enough to affect the result. That's
why I'm not raising the big cry of Fraud!
Fraud There were counties where know
from Is to 100 peoples party tickets were
thrown, and Vet the returns show only dozen
or so. or none at all. But they will show up all
right at the November election. We shan t
carry the state, of course, but we shall largely
increase the vote of Tuesday last. "
A. $. Mann, who is running for Congress in
the second district on the peoples party ticket,
says that he Is surely going to be elected. He
gives the election law in Florida an awfully
black eye and says that the democrats them
selves are bound to repeal II at the next session
of the legislature. III they DON'T he added,
their party will go to pieces in less than two
years"
In this connection the president Of one Of the
leading railroads In Florida, himself a stanch
democrat liz reported as having said few days
ago: 1T is useless for my company to try to
promote immigration TO Florida any longer.
All the great advantages Of the country through
which our line passes are Offset by this abonl-
Unable election No northern or western man
viii bring his family here, especially his boys,
to grow up where such thing is looked upon
as honorable. They absolutely refuse to live
under system which teaches personal truth
fulness and strict integrity in business, but
which winks at frauds in elections. They con-
denim the whole thing demoralizing, and I
am forced to agree with them This election
system must be changed. tits keeping Florida
back today more than any other agency which
Is working against her "