Smyrna times., 1896-12-02
AFFAIRS IN DUCK CREEK HUNDRED
MISOUOTED.

AFFAIRS IN DUCK CREEK HUNDRED
MISQUOTED.
The two Dover papers, the Hader
and DetaWGreG1I, the first over two
columns the latter over three, have
written labored articles, their sense of
right running one way and pulling
strenuously at the oars in the other
direction, to show that the Republi-
cans have been guilty of bribery, usur-
patton, larceny and violence, and that
they have done nothing wrong or moth
ing worth taking any account Of and
Tor that reason though the others had
the most votes they should have the
offices.
They really argue in the most speci-
Gus manner that because one partv
would not let the other chose it's voters
assistant when the law stipulates that
they shall be chosen from the two lead |
ing parties by the inspector and judges
of each election district, (and not by a
conspiracy entered into by party COM
mittees elsewhere), there was no eIec-
ton in the county, and that the Demo
Gratis should hold on to all the offices.
The Eastern District of Duck Greek
Hundred forms the chief base for this
claim. We have passed it by because
touched from a partizan stand point,
but it is asserted by one and reasserted
by another and thus becomes our duty
to relieve the conditional least of some
of the false statements.
The MdcE writer reaches this point
in the following instances:
''In one of the Districts of Duck
Greek Hundred, the Addicks party,
under the leadership of one of his chief
lleutenlnts and a candidate on his
ticket, took possession of the polls and
by the exhibition of revolvers and other
means prevented an election all the
day long, because, he says, ''the
Democratic election officers insisted
upon complying with the law in refer
ence to the voters assistant" He then
adds, there is not a word of condemna-
ton by the TINES etc. For us to con-
denim what did not happen would have
been as bad as for the Ilder to state
what never occurred. The Addicks
leader who he says was a candidate,
did not take possession of the polls
and by an exhibition of revolvers and
other means prevent an election, in
fact was not about there until late in
the day, whereas the election conten-
ton was early in the morning. There
was no exhibition of revolvers or talk
OF any, nor was it known that one was
on the premises until the Republican
Clerk before leaving the place at the
latter part of the day took one from
his pocket and handed it to one of the
opposite side. He went to the voting
place without he says, any thought of
difficulty. The Republican Judge that
the reports in the papers and elsewhere
make such savage man, hadn't a
weapon of any kind on his person, and
does not carry one. He protested
against a voters assistant being chosen
by the Democrats for the Republicans.
and in this was sustained unitedlv bv
his party.
The question arises why was it such
an awful thing for him to have a pistol
thus, when the Democratic voters as
sistant in the other district carried
revolver in his hippocket all day, as
also the Registrar?
1t is true the Republicans showed a
determined spirit because thew be-
lleyed the lnsistance on a choice of
both voters assistants by the Demo-
CRATES was in line of the attempt to
carry the county by disfranchisement,
and they felt it violation of the law,
which gives the choice of voters as
sistant to the two leading parties, and
this was to all intents and purposes
giving the choice of both to one party
Suppose by a trick, no matter
whether one played by man like Hlg-
gins through statement to a Western
Convention, would they have allowed
the Republican to place man for their
voters assistant against their will?
Certainly not, they would have fought
first. 1t would only be standing up
for their rights. The difficulty thus
raised was stubborn one, but the In
spectOr had the power to hold the cleo
ton had that been the dominating will.
This matter of voters assistant
played ''high iinks" in more places
than one in exercising the functions of
his office and it is stated, we do not
know with what exactness that 1000
voters of those who intended to vote
the Union Republican tickets in Sus-
sex and 400 in Kent were spoiled and
thus thrown out by the assistant first
stamping the eagle, (Higgins ticket
and when told that was not the ticket,
the Star ticket they wanted, stamping
both.
There would have been no trouble
in Duck Creek Hundred with anything
like fair play according to the intent
of the law, and writer's who have al
most bankruped themselves in de-
bauching voters in an effort to ride
over a fellow member of the same party
at primary to secure a high office, has
no business in declaiming in paper or
Court against vote buying in the op-
posite party.
A COIOred Tribune Supplement-.
The American people live such busy
and bustling lives, whatever their oc
cupatiOns, that they do not tax,