The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-04-17
TO TIE VOTERS or WARD ONE.
An Appeal Which Every Republican
Should Heed.

We desire to call the attention of the
voters in our ward to the Importance of
We believe the question at issue in next
Mondays election is not simply whether
Mr.. Baxter or Mr.. Ingraham shall be the
next mayor of Portland, but. whether
good citizens will countenance fraud and
corruption at the polls
We sincerely believe that all good citi-
zens of this ward, whatever may have
been their previous party preferences
or opinions, ought to unite next Monday
in publicly condemEing the outrageous
proceedings which characterized our last
election in this ward
We all agree that there should be fair
and honest expression of preferences at
the polls, but whatever may be the result
so expressed, it should be carefully and
honestly counted and declared. In no
other way can we expect to have our
homes, our lives, and our liberties pre-
served to us.
|
| generally known that intimations had
been given out by the warden in this
ward, that no person should be allowed
within the rail while the votes were be-
ing counted, and we are positively as
surcd that the police officers who were
on duty in the ward room, were instruct
ed to follow out the warden's orders, and
the result of the proceedings shows that
the fears which were entertained prior to
the election, were not groundless, but
that there was plan by which the will
of the people was to be disregarded.
Not only were the ballots not counted,
but large part of them were destroyed
so that the evil could not be remedied.
We urge all citizens of this ward to
show their disapproval of those proceed
ings, by making special effort to be at
the polls at eight o'clock on Monday
morning. Let us then and there deter
mine whether Thomas Harper, or some
man in whom we all have con-
| fidence, shall preside, while we
exercise our constitutional rights
of suffrage. We trust the impor-
lance of this matter will cause you to
urge upon others the duty of being pres
| ent at the opening of the polls.
Mr.. Ingraham Immediately after the
last election, pronounced the proceedings
in this ward, "a dirty mess,'' and Mr..
Guptill stated that his "seJ-respect
Mould not permit him to hold office, and
thereby appear to countendnce such acts.''
Has anything been done which explains
or lessons the conspiracy? We appeal to
you to recall those proceedings. More
votes were declared than there were
persons who voted. 100 ballots were
stolen on that evening in tho city clerks
Office, the aldermen refused to investi-
gate matters after fraud had been
| charged; they refused until Friday noon,
to allow the citizens of this ward to ex-
anime the check lists; until it was known
that application was to be made to the
courts to compel the production of the
check list, which conclusively proved
that fraud had been committed.
If such acts are to be countenanced,
we can no longer have government of
the people. Force and fraud must give
way! A government of the people as ex-
pressed at the polls. must be sustained.
II. P. DEWEY, j. j. GERRIsH,
J. P. JORDAN, A. B. HALL.
ALPHEUs GRIFFIN, GEO. TREFETHEN,
r. S. DAVIS, ADAM LAMONT,
ii. 81. HALLETT, G. L. JACK,
AND MANY OTHERS.
Portland. April 10, 1898.