The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-30
POPULIST'S OFFICIAL HAT.
Wild Tale of Woe Poured Out
Through It.

WASHINGTON, Oct 29-Secretary
Edgerton, Of the Populist national COM
mlttee, today issued the following
statement:
The preposterous claims made by the Re
publican committee in regard to the election
OF Mckinney are made with the idea Of fraud
IN all the doubtful states. Mckinley, on a
lair vote, is beaten now by an overwhelming
majority. Thes Republicans realize this. Yet,
in the face ofthis they make claims of an
enormous majority for Mckinley, but give
no hgures to back up their claims. They de-
pend upon the outright purchase of voters
and election boards to furnish majorities
they are predicting
Mr.. Edgerton then cites a number OF
states claimed by the Republicans and
presents counter claims and figures to
snow that they will be carried by
Bryan, and continues:
why do they make these claims? Simply
because they are depending, not on any evil
dence which they now have Of victory fer
Mckinley, butt on what they think Hanna's
immense campaign fund may do. We nave
evidence that in the elections next Tuesday
fraud will be attempted on the most stipend
GUS scale ever known in American politics.
One plan is to buy up election boards, and
wherever possible, to actually falsify the re-
turns. But the plan on which they depend
most is as follows
In each precinct of each of the doubtful
states they will buy up purchasable men in
this way: They will give man $40 or Sic
give him so much more if he holds the vote
of that precinct to certain figure. They
will buy as many men in each precinct as
they can find for sale. Already in each OF
thes doubtful states they have cappers bought
UP by the hundreds to handle Republican
money on the last two days before election
and on election day, and the plan will be
not to buy men outright, but to give them
so much money, with pledge to double the
amount If they hold the vote of that pre-
cinct to certain figure.
We have fndisputable evidence that this is
the plan which Mark Hanna and his under
lings place their final dependence If he
does not contemplate wholesale bribery in
the election, why has he collected such an
immense campaign fund? He cannot spend
so much money for the legitimate expenses
of the campaign. Then, for what purpose
does he intend to use it, if not for wholesale
bribery? The anticipation of what this
money may do furnishes the. basis and The
only basis for the claims which the Repub-
1can managers are now making.
We warn the free silver men in all parts
of the country, and especially in the doubtful
states to be on the alert, and we notify all
Republican heelers who propose to distribute
this Doodle that the penitentiary awaits every
man who is caught attempting bribery, coer-
cion or fraud in this election.
Secretary Edgerton said today. in
reference to the statement Of Mr.. Wat
son that he Edgerton) might be able
to tell something about the letter of ac-
ceptance, that Senator Buffers mail did
not pass through his hands Mr. Edger-
ton added that statement from the
postmaster of the senate showed that
the Watson letter had lain In the SEN
ate postoff1ce for several days on ac-
count Of the negligence of the messen-
ger. Mr.. Edgerton said emphatically
that if Mr.. Watson's letter Is published
it will havesto be given out by Mr.
Watson, as the, committee will rot
make it public.