The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-10


There seems to be little doubt that
frauds, at once impudent and extensive,
have been practiced in different States.
notably in Kentucky California and
Tennessee We have the word of Hon.
John r. Fellows, of New York for the
frauds in Tennessee. Perhaps some
further evidence would be desirable in
this case. The opinion of wandering
stump speaker from the East touching
purely local affair in Tennessee is hardly
to be regarded as final Still, Mr.. Eel
lows is in earnest in his pretty little
cock-sparrow way, and the allegation
may be worth looking after.
AS for the frauds in Kentucky and Cali
fOrnia, they are certified to by unpreju-
diced witnesses on both sides. Not only
the newspaper correspondents, but a ma
jority of the election officials in Califor-
MIA, admit that some thousands of votes
have been deliberately taken away from
Bryan by the returning officers Of certain
localities, who insisted upon counting the
Populist tickets in one column and the
Democratic tickets in another, thus divid-
ing the Bryan vote and giving a plurality
to Mckinley. If the two tickets had diff
fered in anything but the legend or sym.
Dol at the top, their division in the count
would have been perfectly legitimate.
There was no such difference, however
The tickets contained exactly the same
names. Both were Bryan and Sewall
tickets, and both should have been set
down in the Democratic column If the
act of dividing the Bryan vote on this
shallow preteXt is not fraud, we confess
that we do not know the meaning Of the
word
In Kentucky the chicanery is more elab-
crate and more determined There, if we
may believe apparently authentic reports,
somewhat opulently confirmed by appear
ances, the returns from the strong Repub-
lican district, the Eleventh, were held
back, presumably for the purpose Of as
certaining to what extent they would
have to be padded in case of a Bryan plu-
rality elsewhere. This is an old and
greatly approved political device-much
resorted to and profoundly admired in
the good old days of robust campaign
methods and illustrous bosses. We all
remember how the returns from the
COney Island district were held up in
1884, and how, for three whole days, the
country palpitated with uncertainty as
to whether Blaine or Cleveland had been
elected 1t turned out, finally, that Mr..
Cleveland had about LOO the better Of
the count, and upon that showing he be-
came President of the United States. But
the 'hold-up" expedient is not regarded
with favor in these later days, and as to
this particular Kentucky case it looks
uglier than usual.
The complications, all of them, are to
be regretted. OF course Mckinley is
elected, no matter what may be the out
come in the State referred to, and the
country viii be spared the unhappiness
of a doubt as to the virtue of the title
by which the next President is to take
his seat. Such doubt would be intoler-
able. But election frauds are always
shameful and abhorrent They always
cast a stain upon our institutions always
mean something odious and detesta6ie.
In Kentucky, California, Tennessee. ana
wherever else there may be suspicion. the
inquiry should be searching. rigid. and
relentless, The safety of respectable
is involved. The honor of
free institutions is at stake.-Washing
ton Post