The Forrest City times., 1894-07-27
REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE.

REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE.
 The Democratic executive commit tee refused to investigate alleged frauds in the recent primary election.
 Upon the hypothesis that the allega- tions set forth in Hon. H. F. Roleson's petition, are true, it seems to THE TIMES that the honor of democracy and the preservation of confidence in democratic methods, demanded that SO much of the returns as could be proven to be fraudulent should be thrown out. Common courtesy and fairness to the contestant, who is 8 hightoned, honor able gentleman and loyal democrat, certainly favored full investigation, and in refusing to go into details, the committee assumed arbitrary powers for which there is no precedend.
 primary election is the only method of determining the actual will of the people, but like all other methods is subject to pollution. Honesty is the great bulwark of democracy, and if the first count of the vote of any pri- mary election is to he Bnal, the people, and especially candidates, will be very shy of the primary election in the future, because under such arbitrary action, no matter what might be the frauds, candidates, nor their friends, would have any rights which they might vindicate and uphold by inves- tigation.
 To preserve the ranks intact, and to gain victory at the polls, the democratic party must be honest and true first to itself. and while we fully recognize and accept the fact that no mans success is paramount to that of the party, yet we believe that it is the privilege of every democrat to offer for office and the duty Of the executive committee to investigate any and all allegations of of fraud. If the committee had entered into thorough investigation of Mir. Roleson's charges and rendered dec ision in accordance with the facts, no matter in whose favor, the democracy would have been moro closely cement ed thereby; there would have been no violence to any mans rights, and white-winged peace and q soothing satisfaction would have settled upon the party in this county.
 If we expect our best men to offer for our public trusts, we must guaran- tee them fair, honorable and even chance with all other candidates. and this necessarily includes q full and impartial investigation of any kind of unfairness, absolute or alleged
 Mir. Roleson is conscientious in the belief that he has been unfairly beaten, and he certainly had the unquestiona- ble right to appeal to and expect the committee to make a thorough investi- gation. 1t WAS the only tribunal which could investigate. It was plainly MT. Roleson's duty to bring the matter be- fore the committee, and he is not cen- surable for such action.
 Had the committee made thorough investigation, they would have been better able to render an intelligent de- cision in accordance with the facts. A peremptory refusal to listen to testi- mony or go into an investigation was not the best way to dispose of the mat- ter, and Mir. Roleson deserved better treatment.
 The committee. however, has spoken; the judicial conversation has declared Mir. Hicks the nominee of the party, and though we differ from the commit tee as to what was their duty in the premises, we. and all of Mir. Roleson's friends, are BOW for JnO. T. Hicks against the world, and fully accord every man the right to his opinion.