San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-11-20
CONTRIBUTED SCRAPS.

fraud and bribery resorted to in
the late election be true, there is an
excellent opportunity for the grand
jury to get in some good work and
to redeem grand juries from popu-
lar contempt.
The briber Is liable to Indictment
and punishment, and the public
good demands that he be punished.
By furnishing bribery and fraud,
there is chance for securing fair
and honest elections.
Persons who voted Illegally, are,
also, liable to Indictment, and
ought to be indicted and pun
ished.
Ii the managers and judges
failed to conduct the election &C
cording to the requirements of the
law, they, too, should be indicted
and punished,
II the judges and managers OF
election COnnive at fraud, it goes
without saying that our elections
| will grow more corrupt and fraud
ulent with the lapse Of time, and
that unprincipled bride takers and
illegal voters will overslaugh the
votes Of honest citizens and tax
payers, and ruin Bexar county.
The grand jury should likewise
prosecute rigid and searching in
vestigation as to whether any can
didates used money, contrary to
law, to secure their election. Did
any candidate pay voters to vote
for the ticket on which he was run
ming, or to vote for him?
Or did any candidate furnish |
money to any person, or persons.
with instructions to use the same |
in paying for votes.
II the evidence showed that any |
candidate was guilty of these Of
fences, he should be indicted by |
the grand jury.
II the evidence before the grand |
jury shows that any person used
money, contrary to law, to secure
his election, and has taken the
statutory oath that he did not do |
so, the grand jury should indict
such officer for perjury as we'll as
for bribery.
1t is repo rted that at several of
the precincts persons were stand.
ing outside with their hands full
OF registration certificates, ready to
furnish them to such men as
would promise to vote their ticket.
The grand jury should enquire
into all these matters, searching
ly and fearlessly. 1t is their duty
to do so, and the public welfare de.
mands 1t.
Things have become corrupt to
the extent Of putrofection, when
ever grand jury either shirks a
sworn duty, or covers up fraud and
bribery, and for that reason, we
must presume the grand jury will
do its duty, without fear, favor or
affection"
How did they obtain such regis
tration tickets ? Did they buy them
from persons who had registered,
and were legal voters? II so, they
bought them for the purpose of en-.
abling persons who were not legal
voters, to vote, and were guilty Of
fraud.
Were such certificates of regis
tratiOn genuine or bogus? Were
they fraudulently and surrepti.
tiOusly issued prior to the election,
and placed in the hands of strikers
to enable persons to vote contrary
law?
Should the grand jury spend an
entire month in investigating the |
election frauds and bribery that |
have been publicly charged, the |
time would be we'll spent. Even
should such investigation not re-
suit in the finding of indictments,
it would have salutary influence
on future elections.
The Importance OF fair, honest
and legal elections cannot be over
estimated.
The ballot box is the very foun-
dalton Of our system of govern
ment.
1t is the appointed medium by
which the legal voters approve or
condemn parties, policies and indi-
vidual candidates.
When elections cease to reflect
the views, and sentiments of the
legal voters Of county, or state,
the very tap root of our system of
popular government will have be-
come hopelessly rotten.