The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-31
GETTING THINGS MIXED.

is a heinous crime. a great deal OF
feeling has been excited over some
things associated with the election pro-
ceedings of 1894 in Utah. It is right to
condemn all the wrong that has been
done. It is not right to exaggerate it,
nor TO add to it evils which have not
been committed.
The investigation so far entered into
has established the fact that the re-
turns from Sanpete county have been
tempered with. Where, by whom and
when the changes in those returns
We're made has not been made clear.
Suspicion is not proof. The inference
is that some Democrat or Democrats
altered them for party purpose. But
that is only inference. 1t may be said
it is the natural conclusion. But still
it is not conclusive. A very cogent
theory, with some actual circumstances
to support it, has been advanced to the
exact contrary of the argument that it
was a Democratic attempt at fraud.
We are anxious that the facts in this
ugly case shall be made known. Our
morning contemporary has claimed that
it knows who the guilty parties are.
If that is true the grand jury ought to
obtain the inforna ton. But our neigh
Dor tells so many contradictory stories,
and gets into such rage when we sug-
gest that it should ''ten it all" that we
suspect it is simply playing Jack Fall
staff.
Be that as it may, we contend that
apart from the developments in Weber
county, which are not yet consum-
mated, there is no evidence that the
ballots have been tempered with, al
though the returns from Sanpete were
doctored for some nefarious purpose
But in response TO a previous statement
of The Herald's. the following question
is propounded by the Tribune:
"How about the votes in the ballot
boxes from Sanpete which showed thai
one most worthy Democratic either
had voted, when the truth was on cleo
ton day he was in the penitentiary ?"-
! Jan. 2S.
We reply. There is nothing in The
ballot boxes which could show any
thing of the kind. The ballot boxe.
would simply disclose how many votes
were cast for the respective candidates
but it would not and could not SHOW
who cast them. The returns were 81
| dOctored by some person or person!
/ unknown. as to make it appear that a
| least two persons voted who were no
at the polls, and it is said that one o
them was in the penitentiary. But TIL
ballot boxes are not the returns. AM
unless it can be shown that they hay
been stuffed to use a common
phrase, they will not answer the pur
pose of the accusers.
This evidence is totally lacking. S
far as the proofs have been furnishes
| they show no improper doings with tn
ballot boxes. The Sanpete investi
cation failed in that particular
So did the inquiry into the Third pre-
cinct matter. In the latter case tn
charges of tampering with the ballo
boxes were vehement and repeated
The canvassing board heard witnesse
on the question and here is the unani
nous decision of that board:
at further appears from such evi
ldeRce that the ballots have been Ore
served substantially as required b
Jaw, and have not in any way been in
terfered with"
We believe that a similar investiga
ton as to the Sanpete ballot boxe
would result in similar decision. A
any rate, nothing to the contrary ha
yet been made to appear. Therefore
charges as to tampering with the bal
lot boxes are as yet unsubstantiatet
Our morning contemporary, however
asks jeeringly:
why do the Democrats insist upo
recount when they know the ballo
> boxes and the registration lists an
the poll lists and the whole bushes
has been tempered with plan. &c.
The answer is, they do not kno7
and do not believe the ballot boxe
have been tempered with. And as
is clear that the returns have bee
doctored by somebody, whether RI
. publican or Democrat not appearin!
lllSS 1ASlSI NJOlf d ISCOullt DIS the OH
way in which it can be learned no,
, many votes were cast for the severe
candidates. And the law provides fc
+ that as the final resort in any sue
contingency.
To say that returns which have ev
IDENTIFY been 'tfXed' are to be taken g
the final declaration, when the ballot
> which have not yet been shown 1
j, have been changed in any way, al
by law and common sense the on
: final evidence, is to talk Republica
: policy, or Tribune logic, or, what
a the same thing. impudent absurdity.
The public, aroused to just indigni
ton at the tinkering of the Sanpe
= returns, should not allow the matt,
of the ballot boxes to appear asl I'll
same things. Nor should they tai
the evidence as to the former and a,
r ply it to the latter. The Tribune hi
a 'tmixed those babies up for its oN
:, sinister purposes. They must be Ike,
= and viewed apart. Let the wrong ]
denounced: let the right be defended